


Growing Up Hanyou

by InitialA



Series: A Matter of Trust verse [3]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-04-13
Updated: 2008-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:36:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27418129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InitialA/pseuds/InitialA
Summary: Raising a family is never easy. It's worse when your children are quarter-demons! Follow Kagome and InuYasha's adventures through parenthood, with all the bumps, bruises, and surprises along the way.ORIGINAL POSTING: 2008
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Series: A Matter of Trust verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2002822
Kudos: 5





	1. Home is Where The Heart Is

Her mouth opened in a silent scream as his lips met her breast; he slipped inside of her, suckling as she bucked her hips against his, wanting him to move faster. She knew they had to be quiet, to avoid Izayoi's often awkward questions, but dammit, he was moving too slow! “Please… InuYasha please…” She whispered.

  
She felt his lips move into that all-too-familiar smirk. “Maybe I like you begging…” He murmured against her flesh; to her horror, he slowed down further, inching his way to the hilt, making her want to scream her frustration.

  
“If you don't… aaaaaaahhhh… I swear I'll… I'll make curry for a week…” She gasped as he lightly ran one of his fangs down the side of her breast.

  
“Feisty tonight…” He murmured, and slid out quickly, watching her eyes fly wide open at the sensation.

  
“Onegai… koibito, onegai…” She whispered.

  
Her wishes were granted, and faster than she could take a few gasping gulps of air, she was sent flying over the edge. She floated for a moment, as her mate bit back howls from his own release, and they drifted amidst their pleasurable haze, catching their breath. Thunder growled outside, nature's own fury matching the intensity of their lovemaking. He lifted his head up from its resting place between her breasts, and smirked at her flushed expression before meeting her lips with a lazy, loving kiss. “How was that?” He asked, resting his forehead on hers, and she laughed.

  
“Better, after the initial torture.” She replied as he unwillingly rolled off of her.

  
He opened his mouth to reply when a flash of lightning lit up the entire room, followed immediately by a booming crack of thunder. In the next room, Izayoi screamed. Kagome was up and pulling on her nightgown as the nearly-two-year old came sprinting into the room crying, “OKAA!!”

  
She scooped her little girl up, making soothing noises and letting her cry out her fears, as InuYasha grumbled about putting on boxers; Kagome made a face at him. “How did you get out of your crib, little one?” Kagome asked, trying to draw attention from her fears.

  
“Fell down…” Izayoi whimpered, rubbing her head.

  
She'd been figuring out various ways out of her crib herself in the last few weeks, leaving her parents to talk about getting her situated in a real bed; the fact that she'd taken a tumble just to get to her parents might solidify that idea. Kagome cooed at her, and rubbed her ears, leaving the young pup to sigh in sleepy content, resting her head against her shoulder. “Oi. You wanna sleep in here pup?” InuYasha asked, patting the bed beside him.

  
“Mmhmm… scared…”

  
Kagome handed her to her father, and climbed back into bed herself. “Otou…” Izayoi murmured, sidling up against her father's chest.

  
“Nothin' to be scared about a storm for, pup. It's all light and noise, nothin' else.” He said quietly, idly playing with her short locks of silver hair, just a shade or two darker than his own.

  
Kagome rubbed the little girl's back. “And Otou wouldn't let anything get you, you know? He'd get Tessaiga and beat the bad monsters that scared his little princess.”

  
The elder hanyou gave her a look, and she smiled back. She gave Izayoi's ears a final rub, seeing the girl slipping into a safe sleep, and rubbed his ears briefly as well. He leaned into her touch, eyes closed, as she ruffled his hair slightly, and caressed his cheek. “I love you.” She said.

  
“I love you too.” A shiver ran down her spine at the look of intensity he gave her with those words, and she couldn't help want to melt back into his arms.

  
Instead, she kissed their daughter on the head, and lay down. They faced each other, Izayoi snuggled comfortably between them, and intertwined their fingers together above their heads.

* * *

  
“Kaa, why's we movin'?” Izayoi inquired as she kicked her heels against the bottom of her car seat.

  
“Because sweetie, the apartment was a bit too small for us, and we want to have lots of room for you to play in.” Kagome answered, following the moving van carefully through midday Tokyo traffic.

  
“Otou comin' too?”

  
She smiled. “Otou is coming too. He's coming in the limo after Uncle lets him off work.”

  
“Uncle Sess?” The toddler's ears, had she not been wearing her concealment bracelet, would be perked up. She adored her uncle, for reasons unknown to either her father or to the tai-youkai in question. “Uncle Sess an' Auntie Rin comin' too?”

  
Kagome tried not to laugh. “No, sweetie, Uncle Sess and Auntie Rin have their own house, remember? The big one where you play with Mina.” Minami, who had actually been staying in Japan for the last few months, had been more than happy to babysit her young cousin while Kagome took a few classes at Tokyo University during the mornings.

  
“Oh.”

  
Still following the truck lumbering in front of their car, Kagome shrieked and swore colorfully as she threw on the brakes; a car horn blared loudly as it sped off in front of her. Muttering something about drivers not paying attention when they didn't have the right of way, she took a breath to soothe her nerves, started forward again, and asked, “Are you alright, Iza? That was scary.”

  
The toddler's voice was full of awe. “Okaa… You said Otou words…”

  
The woman winced. “I did, didn't I? Okaa was bad, we'll have to put the soap in my mouth when we get to the new house, ok? You can put it in yourself.”

  
The child had a habit of parroting what she heard, mostly the curses InuYasha was so fond of uttering, so they'd developed a `soap' punishment. Izayoi had a great dislike of anything peppermint flavored, so they had a decent-sized block of peppermint candy they put in her mouth whenever she said an `Otou word'. To make the pup feel better, Kagome had also insisted that InuYasha be put through the `punishment' as well, whenever he said something that Izayoi repeated. He often complained that he was now being stalked by their daughter, waiting for him to slip up so she could yell for Kagome. He wasn't fond of peppermint either, but at least he wasn't reduced to the crocodile tears that Izayoi was.

  
The toddler was silent for a few moments, considering it. “Iza's tellin' Otou.” Her young voice had the smugness of a much older child.

  
_Where did she learn that?_ Kagome wondered as she absently said that was fine.

  
They made it to the house almost an hour later with no more incidents or foul outbursts from the older woman. Kagome sighed with happiness when she got out of the car, the movers already at work, and worked Izayoi out of her carseat. The toddler yelped with happiness, clutching her battle-worn bear, and sped off towards the trees in the yard.

  
Kagome let her go, watching her child happily sprint around, jumping to snag at the lower-hanging leaves. She had been surprised when InuYasha told her he owned a few dozen acres of forested land that had once been a part of the forest bearing his name; she had been even more surprised when he suggested that they build a house there. But she had heartily agreed to it, knowing he missed what little wilderness was left in Japan, in the lands he'd once roamed with the possibility of seeing no one else for days. So started their project, their two-story, 6,000 square foot home; Kagome's mother had visibly paled when she was informed of the size and cost that building the house was going to be, but the pair had reassured her that they thought it necessary. Shippou and his family would have space to stay when they came for visits, they could have Kagome's family stay with them if they so desired, there would be more than enough space for their future children to fill. Personally, Kagome had been crossing her fingers that the grandchildren line would work the best, and it had helped to soothe her mother's worries. InuYasha hadn't helped much by saying that Sesshou-maru's home was about twice the size of theirs, and Souta hadn't helped InuYasha's mood by saying that Kagome just wanted enough space between their bedroom and the couch if he made her mad.

  
She hugged her arms, staring up at their new home. It had started in this forest five hundred years ago, and it would end here. Kagome smiled. _Until then, it will continue here… us, our children, and our friends…_


	2. Little Guardian

Kagome was having another bout of morning sickness. Well, sort of. ` _I guess 2:24am is_ **_technically_** _morning…_ ' She thought before gagging again. Nothing but bile remained in her poor stomach, but that didn't mean a thing to the nausea demanding she offer up what little body fat she had.

  
A soothing hand rubbed a cool cloth against her shoulders, the other holding back her hair. Her mate made soothing noises, ignoring the vile stench and trying to ignore the salty-smelling tears that made his heart wrench. He supposed he should be glad he missed this part the last time around, but nothing but guilt rattled through him that she'd had to suffer this alone. She heaved a final time and shuddered, closing the lid and laying her head against the cool porcelain. He reached up for the lever, flattening his ears at the noise, and used the cloth to wipe at her running eyes and around her mouth. “Thank you…” She said in a raspy voice, her throat raw from the abuse.

  
He stood, letting the cloth rinse off in the sink while he got her a cup of water. “Here, rinse and spit. And not all over me.”

  
She glared at him as best she could, but obeyed, lifting the lid to spit into the now-clean toilet. The next mouthful she swallowed, trying to soothe her still-unhappy stomach and her raw throat. InuYasha's ears twitched at the noise of small footsteps, and seconds later their daughter cautiously peered around the doorway. “Okaa-chan? You otay?”

  
She managed a weak smile for Izayoi's concern. “I'll be ok, sweetie. Your baby brother or sister didn't like what we had for dinner, that's all.”

  
The little girl's ears twitched at the mention of her future sibling. She had announced it before even her father had noticed, pouncing into their bed one morning a few weeks prior, and promptly telling her mother: “You smell funny.”

  
Further investigation from InuYasha, after scolding the pup, proved that Kagome was smelling funny for a reason: she was pregnant. Now the woman was remembering the not-so-fun parts of pregnancy, like not being able to sleep because you don't know what foods agree with this baby or not, resulting in spending most of the night worshipping the porcelain god. “They's not bein' nice to you, Okaa?”

  
“No, not really.” Kagome murmured, laying her head against the lid tiredly.

  
Her eyes were closing just as Izayoi grunted and pattered across the tile floor. She yelped suddenly, and Kagome's eyes flew open as she watched her husband holding their daughter up by one arm; she struggled, trying to free herself. “Otou!”

  
“You don't hit Okaa, you know better!” InuYasha snapped, his face close to his daughter's.

  
“Not hit Okaa, hit brother or sister!” She stubbornly replied. “They's hurtin' Okaa!”

  
She yelped again as InuYasha grabbed her ankles with his free hand, and held her upside down. “Doesn't matter, pup. You'd hit Okaa first, and you might hurt your brother or sister, and that'd make Okaa sad. You don't want to make Okaa sad, do you?”

  
Izayoi pouted. “Nooo…”

  
“So no hitting. Got it?”

  
“Yes, Otou…”

  
He took her arms and turned her right-side-up, holding her in his arms still. “Apologize.” He told her.

  
“But I didn' do nufin!” The girl-child protested.

  
“You almost did.”

  
Izayoi pouted again. “I sorry, Okaa…”

  
Kagome held out her hands. InuYasha handed the squirming toddler to her. “It's ok, sweetie. You just have to be careful. You're stronger than you think, you know.”

  
“Protect Okaa.” Izayoi murmured as Kagome rubbed her ears gently.

  
The woman cocked an eyebrow at her husband. He shrugged sheepishly. “Otou protects Okaa, Iza, you know that. He protects both of us, and your baby brother or sister.”

  
She nodded sleepily. Kagome handed the girl back to InuYasha, who took her back down the hall to her room. He pulled the covers over the dozing girl, and kissed her forehead. “Okaa's gonna be otay, right?” She asked sleepily.

  
“She'll be sick for a while, but it's ok. She'll get better soon, promise.”

  
“'kay…”

  
He slipped back into their bed just as his mate finished brushing her teeth. “She's fast asleep in her own bed.” He told her as she joined him, curling against his chest.

  
“Good… and remind me to have a word with… you about that whole `weak human'… mentality you have… in the morning…” Her threat wasn't very frightening punctuated with yawns, but his ears still went back with the gentle rebuke.

  
He kissed her forehead. “Just looking out for you, love…”

* * *

  
Izayoi sat with her shin in her hands, watching in fascination as her father's hair turned black as pitch as the sun set. “Why's we turn human sometimes, Otou?”

  
“Dunno, pup. The Kami willed it that way, I guess.” InuYasha grumbled, scratching at the sensitive flesh behind his human ears; they always itched for a bit after sundown, unused to being this way.

  
“You ever scared?” She inquired.

  
“Keh. You think your oyaji's scared of being human?” He retorted, smirking.

  
Kagome smiled as she came into the room, setting a mug of hot cocoa in front of her husband, and a smaller one in front of her daughter. Snow fell heavily outside as the city hunkered down for a long night; all weather reports called for a blizzard the likes of which Tokyo hadn't seen in decades. “Otou got scared once or twice, when bad things happened on his human night, but we protected him, just like he protects you when you get scared when you're human. And then the sun came up and he repaid us with his own protection.”

  
The hanyou-turned-human blushed, busying himself with his cocoa. “Was not…”

  
Izayoi rushed to the window suddenly, staring outside. “Is it gonna get bad outside?” She asked.

  
“It might, sweetheart. They're saying we'll have snow as tall as you are.” Kagome told her.

  
“Is that bad?”

  
“It can be. The electricity might go off for a while, and we'll have to make a fire.”

  
The toddler stood at the window for a few moments, and then decidedly rushed over to where her father sat. He had just set down his mug when her tiny hands grabbed his and yanked. “Come oooon.” She grunted, putting all of her thirty pounds into it.

  
InuYasha started, surprised at her force, but stood up. She pulled him towards the stairs. “Otoooou, moooooove!”

  
“Iza, what's this—” He yelped when she hurried behind him and started pushing him up the stairs. “Goooooo!”

  
Kagome tried not to laugh at her pigtailed daughter grunting under the effort to get her father up the stairs, InuYasha looking perfectly perplexed as he made his way up. Wondering where this was going next, she idly followed as the small girl pushed him down the hallway, and into their bedroom. “Stay here.” She ordered in her squeaky voice, and hurried past her mother, back down the stairs.

  
Kagome leaned on the banister, watching in amusement as Izayoi moved one of the dining room chairs into the living room, climbing on it to gingerly snatch Tessaiga from its resting place. Carrying the battered sword was another story; Tessaiga was easily another eighteen inches longer than she was, but the small hanyou managed to race up the stairs without too much mishap. Kagome once again fought the urge to laugh as Izayoi sat herself firmly in the doorway to hers and InuYasha's bedroom, the sword across her lap. InuYasha's amused, if slightly annoyed, voice was heard from somewhere behind her. “Pup… what _are_ you doing?”

  
“Protec'in' Otou.”

  
“Can I ask why?”

  
“Cuz bad stuff's gonna happen. Okaa said so.”

  
She could feel her mate's glare through the wood, and had to practically stuff her fist in her mouth to keep from laughing. “Oh she did, did she?”

  
“Uh-huh. You heard too. Iza don't want you to be scared.”

  
Her mate dared to poke his head around the corner of the door, and she bit into her arm this time, shoulder shaking with hidden laughter. Izayoi looked up. “Hey!! You're a'sposed to stay in your room, mister!”

  
“I am in my room! And who are you calling mister?!”

  
Izayoi emitted a sound classified as none other than a growl, and stood, pushing her father further back into the bedroom. “Stay!”

  
“Kagomeeee!” InuYasha whined.

  
The woman took a few deep breaths, trying to regain composure, but the sight of her two-year old with a sword longer than she was sitting with the determination that would break rocks, was almost too much to bear. “Iza… Wouldn't it be better if Otou was let out of the room? You know Okaa can't make a fire.”

  
“He can come out for that.” Izayoi replied stubbornly, her chin set.

  
Kagome opened her mouth to reply, but was met with a dogged amethyst stare. She suddenly realized she was staring at herself, albeit pale-haired, dog-eared, and nineteen years younger. And if Kagome knew anything, she knew her own mind. “You know what, InuYasha? I think a bath would do your muscles some good.”

  
Her mate's frustrated growl reached her ears. “It's too early for you to be siding with her…”

  
“Just hope this one's a boy, then you won't be outnumbered.” Kagome teased, leaning against the door.

  
Amber met mahogany. “You know I don't care as long as the pup's healthy.” He told her.

  
She smiled gently. “I know. Now go get that bath, and I'll take care of things here.”

  
“And don't try climbin' out the tree to get out, mister!” Izayoi ordered over her shoulder.

  
Kagome knelt next to her daughter. “Climbing out into the tree? And how would you know about that, little one?”

  
The hanyou's face turned from determined to the pout she knew would get her mother on her side. “I climbed up when the leaves were differ'nt. Otou taught me to jump big, an' I made it up to higher up parts. I could see in. Otou could get out.”

  
Kagome mentally rolled her eyes, and made another note to lecture her husband about the dangers of letting her babies bound through the trees before they were five. “Otou won't get out. It's too cold. Now, come on, Iza, let's go warm up your cocoa, and put Tessaiga back, and we'll wait for Otou to get out of the bath.”

  
The pup's lip stuck out stubbornly. “But Okaaaaa…”

  
“If something bad happens, then we'll get him back up here, ok? I promise.”

  
Izayoi thought about it, her small fingers running across the smooth wood of Tessaiga's sheath. “Otay…” She grumbled, getting up and using Tessaiga as a walking stick.

  
“You can put Tessaiga back right?”

  
“Uh-huh.”

  
“You do that, I'm going to get my slippers.” Kagome rubbed her daughter's head affectionately, and went into the bedroom.

  
After firmly sheathing her feet into their warm confines, she tapped on the bathroom door, and glanced in. Her knees went weak at the sight of her mate lounging in their Jacuzzi, his midnight-black hair spreading out behind him like a curtain. “You can come down, though Kami-forbid the power go out, or we're doing this all over again.”

  
InuYasha's head lifted, and she was pierced by his amethyst eyes, her will-power melting under that knowing smirk. “I don't need my hanyou senses to know what you're thinking… how heavenly you must smell right now.”

  
She was withering under his stare; as much as she loved his wilder side, and his endurance, in his hanyou form, he was much gentler, more romantic on his human nights. She knew what he was thinking too. “I'm going downstairs to warm up your daughter's, who is still awake and will be for a few more hours, no doubt, hot chocolate, and _maybe_ after she goes to bed…”

  
“After…?” His voice was silky, seductive.

  
“We can negotiate which of our mental fantasies, the ones we're both thinking right now, we can act upon.”

  
He grinned, and she fled.

* * *

  
His mate was lying nude on her stomach, enjoying the massage he was giving her. He didn't need his nose to sense how aroused she was becoming. He ran his tongue along her spine, causing goosebumps to rise along her skin. He moved her hair, and nibbled along her shoulders, causing her to writhe underneath him, grinding her ample ass against his already-throbbing dick. “You're making me want to skip the fun parts…” He whispered in her ear, licking the curve of the shell.

  
“I thought the next part _was_ fun…” She sighed, shivering from his touch.

  
“Oh it is, koibito, but this part is plenty fun on its own.” He murmured, sliding his hands down her sides, the tips of his fingers teasing the sides of her breasts.

  
He was just freeing himself from his confining boxers, when he heard their daughter scream down the hall. He glanced at the digital clock, but realized it was dark. Kagome sat up dizzily as Izayoi's feet padded hard down the hallway, stumbling to the bathroom as the toddler launched herself against her father's chest. “Dark!!” She wailed.

  
Izayoi had developed a fear of the dark, and couldn't think about sleeping unless her nightlight was on. The candles he'd lit around the bedroom were enough for the child's sobs to quiet, but she trembled against him. “The power went out, pup, that's why your light went out.”

  
“Sleep in here…” She murmured, clutching at the trail ends of his silvery locks.

  
“That's fine pup.” He said, though he could feel his muffled youkai seething from the missed chance at taking his mate. He shoved it away; pups trumped mate's pleasure, especially frightened pups.

  
Kagome returned, looking flushed, and he handed their daughter off to do the same. ` _Our little guardian still needs her own protection… Don't grow up too fast, pup…_ '


	3. Shattered

Sighing as the tension left his shoulders, he closed the door behind him, leaving his shoes in the foyer. His brow wrinkled slightly, his mate's scent not as fresh as he'd expect it to be; usually she'd be downstairs starting on dinner, before her mother brought Izayoi home. To that extent, the only food scents he smelled were old, from this morning's breakfast. He frowned, and called out her name. “Kagome?”

  
Silence met his ears, and he began to feel nervous. Straining the fuzzy appendages, he cautiously went to the kitchen, wanting to go over every inch of the house until he found her. His frown deepened when he saw a partially cut grapefruit on the cutting board on the counter; the knife was on the floor, along with a few drops of blood. Fear threatened to grip his mind, making him irrational, but he forced himself to take a few calming breaths. The drops were old, as far as freshness was concerned, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Quickly, he made his way upstairs, trying to find the freshest wisp of his mate's scent. One drifted under his nose, and he grasped at it frantically, matching it to her normal scent, that she was alright. He tracked it, following it to the baby's room. He hesitated before entering; the door was closed. Her scent drifted out from the cracks: she'd been in there for a while. His hand hovered over the doorknob briefly, before he opened it slowly. “Kagome?”

  
She sat on the floor, next to Izayoi's old crib. Her form was wrapped around a large, stuffed cat they'd bought; Izayoi had her bear of course, but the new pup should have his or her own animal. Her head was bowed over the animal, her curtain of black hair draped about her form. “Kagome…” He started to move towards her, sensing something was wrong, when she moved.

  
The look on her face would haunt him in the weeks to come, even after he brought her smiles back. Her eyes were wide, a mix of shock and confusion, and her skin was ashen. She looked broken inside, lost and wounded. “Inu…Yasha…” She whispered, her voice cracking on the side of a sob.

  
“Kagome…” He moved to kneel next to her, but she threw herself to her feet and buried herself into his chest, gripping at his shirt.

  
She was shaking. He wrapped his arms around her, confused, trying to soothe her shakes. “Koi, tell me what's wrong. You had me worried sick, why didn't you answer when I called?”

  
Her voice shook. “Th… the… the baby…”

  
He stilled. He focused on her scent, shifting through her emotional turmoil. Something was different… “What about the baby?” He asked softly.

  
Her shakes intensified. His nose flared, picking up what was wrong. His eyes widened as she spoke. “We… I lost…”

  
Her resolve wavered, and she broke down into heaving sobs. He sank to the floor with her, cradling her in his arms. “I don't know what I did wrong!” She sobbed, clutching at his shirt as he rocked her gently, trying to calm both him and herself.

  
InuYasha's mind worked quickly. He dug up long-ago memories; Sango had suffered a miscarriage once, and it had taken months, and Miroku's soothing words, to heal her suffering. He wasn't very good with words, but he didn't know if he could stand so much time of his Kagome dropping things and falling victim to another bout of the weeps; he tried to remember what he'd heard Miroku saying to his wife. “Hey… Kagome, listen to me…” He said softly, turning her face up to look at him; he gently wiped a tear away, ignoring the stabbing hurt in his own heart at her pain.

  
She quieted, and he kissed her forehead, feeling her tremble with silent sobs. “You didn't do anything wrong.” He told her, keeping his voice as calm and steady as possible. “It wasn't anything you did, you hear me? Kami… Kami wasn't ready to let this one go yet, that's all. Kami wanted to keep this one, make him or her as perfect as possible.”

  
Kagome trembled further, her lower lips wavering. “But… We were… we would love the baby… no matter how perfect or not…”

  
InuYasha wiped away another tear. “I know we would have. But maybe Kami didn't see it that way. But just think, when our youngest pups are grown… just think about how one day, you'll hear in the news about some pup doing something great, finding cures for diseases that no one could find… And you'll think, `That's it. That was our pup. They're doing something great with their life, and that's all I need to know to be happy.'”

  
She sniffed, fat tears falling down her cheeks. “It just… it hurts…”

  
“Physically?”

  
She shook her head, and he swore at himself mentally. Physical he could handle, to an extent; it was these psychological injuries that got to him. “I mean…” She amended, “it kind of… it doesn't hurt, but it's a bit of an… an empty… an empty kind of pain… And it makes me hurt here…” She pressed her hand to her womb, “and here…” She moved it to her heart.

  
He moved slightly, bending to kiss both of her pains. “I know I can't help with this… But I'm here, ok? You have me, and you have Iza, and we're here, ok?” He murmured, brushing a strand of hair back.

  
She sniffed again and managed a watery smile. “When did you get so sensitive?”

  
He gave her an appalled look. “When have I not been sensitive?”

  
She gave him her own look, and he looked sheepish. “In my own way… Where's Iza?” He asked, hastily changing the subject.

  
“I asked Mama to keep her a little longer today… I didn't want her to know I was upset, you know how she gets.” Kagome said, pulling a tissue out of her pocket and wiping away tear tracks; she had a point, the young pup was very protective of her mother (something she still had yet to fully pin down on her mate's influence), and tended to get highly emotional when Kagome was upset.

  
InuYasha heard the door open downstairs, and his mother-in-law call out greetings, their daughter giggling madly about something. He thought quickly. “How's this, I'll take Iza and go get some take-out, and you can talk to your mother. She'll know what to do better'n me, right?”

  
His mate nodded, sniffing away the last of her tears, and tried to freshen up. He licked her cheek, and she nuzzled him. “Thank you…” She murmured, and they stood, going downstairs.

  
He scooped up his giggly pup, who blew kisses at her mother while Mama Higurashi went to comfort her daughter. “Come on, pup, we're getting take-out while Okaa-chan and Obaasan talk.” He told her and she cheerfully agreed.

* * *

  
“Otou, Iza think we was gettin' food?”

  
Her articulacy would never cease to amaze him, especially for a two-year old; Izayoi reminded him of her Aunt Rin when she was a child, speaking of herself in the third person. “We are, pup, but we're getting something sparkly for Okaa-chan first. It'll make her feel better.”

  
Together they looked through the glass boxes at the bejeweled necklaces and bracelets. “Okaa-chan sad?”

  
“Yeah, Okaa-chan's sad. Otou can't make her feel better all by himself though, so you're going to help me, ok?”

  
“Kay!”

  
He was down to two choices of a necklace for her. “What do you think, pup, the heart-shaped one with all the colors, or the blue one like a butterfly?” He asked, lifting her up to see better.

  
“I like the bu'erfly, Otou!” She chirped, ignorant to the attendant's wince as she pointed and smudged the glass.

  
He smiled; opals didn't suit his Kagome as much as aquamarines, and she did like butterflies. “This one please.” He told the attendant, who wrapped it up promptly.

  
_`_ _Operation Cheering-up-Kagome: Phase One complete. Phase Two to commence shortly._ _'_ He thought, pleased with himself as they got into the limo. Next was getting an order-out from her favorite restaurant, with all her favorite foods; Izayoi was getting her favorite too: International House of Ramen, kid-sized take-out portion. He half-wished he was getting some IHOR too, but would willingly suffer through `real' food to make his mate happy. Happy mates were good things.

  
“Otou, Iza gettin' Ramen?” She asked, bouncing in her carseat; even he had to admit it was a bit ridiculous to see a carseat in a limousine, but knew it was for her own good.

  
He smiled, and tugged one of her floppy pigtails. “Only the best for my girl.”

  
She giggled at him, flashing her baby-teeth-grin.

* * *

  
Mama Higurashi was just leaving as they came back. Izayoi bounded up to give her grandmother one last hug and kiss, before making a bee-line for her mother, who was looking a little better, if puffier around the eyes. “Hey there, sweetheart.” Kagome cooed, doing her best to be happy for her child's sake. “What do you have there?”

  
As Kagome knelt, Izayoi solemnly took out the box with the necklace in it. She gave it to her, and hugged her around the neck. “Otou said you was sad. He said I couldn' beat it up, but this would make you better.”

  
Kagome gasped softly at the necklace. She smiled up at her mate, and hugged her daughter tight, lifting her as she stood. “Thank you. Both of you.” She said, kissing one of her hanyou on the lips, and the other between her fuzzy ears.

  
He held up a plastic bag. “And I got your favorites. I know it's all material things, but it's something, right?”

  
She smiled again. “It's a start.”

  
He hoped so. He never wanted to see that shocked, confused look on her face ever again.


	4. Bouji

“UNCLE SESSH!” Izayoi screeched happily, bounding into the house.

  
Her mother and Aunt Rin exchanged amused looks as the tiny girl bowed briefly, then launched herself at her uncle's legs. The tai-youkai's eyes were light in amusement, however stoic his face remained, and he rested a hand on his niece's head. “Izayoi. Excitable as ever.”

  
“We gonna have fun, Uncle Sessh?” Izayoi asked, craning her neck to look up at him.

  
Rin glided over and picked up the girl. “We're going to have tons of fun tonight, Izayoi-mei. In fact, I think there's some fresh snacks sitting on the kitchen table waiting for a very good little girl…” She hinted, as the toddler's violet eyes lit up.

  
“Cookies?”

  
“Why don't you go check?” Rin kissed her forehead and set her down, as the child tore off through the ancient house.

  
Kagome laughed. “Thanks again for keeping her tonight, Rin-chan, Sesshou-maru-sama. I don't know what InuYasha has planned, but I'd just appreciate one night without her bouncing into our bedroom for one purpose or the other.”

  
“She likes having family nearby, packs make the pups feel safe, Kagome-neechan.” Rin told her. “Sanae and Minami are staying here as well tonight, so at least she'll have several rooms to choose from.”

  
The other woman smiled. “One of us will come for her before noon, I promise. Ja ne!”

  
They waved, as Sesshou-maru rested a hand on his mate's shoulder. Rin giggled slightly. “I wouldn't expect them before noon, dear.”

  
The tai-youkai grimaced. “Please do not put my insolent brother doing such things into my mind, Rin…”

  
She laughed, and kissed him on the nose. “I'd give you images of us, my love, but we're pup-sitting. Let's go make sure the kitchen is still intact.”

* * *

  
Kagome set her purse down on the stand in the living room. Her fingers reached out to lightly touch the wrought-silver frame of their wedding photos. The Uchikake had been uncomfortable and heavy, the headdress seemingly unnecessary, and the makeup had brought back the acne she'd thought she left behind once discovering the dermatologist at fourteen, but it had been worth every moment of the unpleasantly beautiful outfit. She smiled at the photo, seeing the happiness in her own brown eyes as she grasped InuYasha's arm; her husband looked dashing in his black robes, making his hair glow against the dark setting. She giggled at the slightly dazed look in his eyes: even the small amount of sake in the ceremony had gotten to him. The next picture was better, as they'd changed into Western wedding clothes for the reception, the sake had worked its way out of her mate's system, and Izayoi, in her bright yukata, had posed with them. Kagome remembered the way that Goshinboku's petals had fallen gracefully around them, as if their old friend had remembered the occasion and blossomed for them.

  
Two tanned arms snaked around her waist, as delicate fangs mouthed their way around the juncture of her neck and shoulder. “Koishii…”

  
“Koibito… Taking a brief stroll down memory lane.” She smiled, tilting her head back to rest on his shoulder.

  
“Keh… nothin' nice about you continuously lecturing that old jijii to keep his stupid sutra away from me the few times I tried to steal a kiss from my wife…” He murmured, his breath warm puffs of air against her already warm skin.

  
“He's old-fashioned and you know it. You interrupted before I got to the best parts though.”

  
She could feel his grin. “Oh really?”

  
Suddenly, her feet were in the air, and the rest of her was suspended in her mate's arms, as he gallantly carried her upstairs. Her eyes widened at all the candles lighting their room. Without much ceremony, he dropped her on their bed, and she landed with a laugh. “What's all this for?”

  
Her mate elegantly draped himself on the bed next to her, his fingers lightly dancing on the bit of skin showing from under her shirt. “Don't tell me you forgot, wench.”

  
She smiled coyly. “Forgot what?”

  
“Wench…” He growled, leaning over her.

  
Kagome grabbed the hair framing his face and tickling hers, and tugged, his lips crashing down on hers. His moan was one of surprised intrigue. Backing away slightly, he raised an eyebrow at her; she'd never been so forceful. She cocked one of her own in reply. “Well?” She asked, and he felt her hand slipping under the waistband of his pants and gripping him firmly; he hissed in a breath when she squeezed him gently. “Are you going to ravish me, or not?”

  
It was all he needed. He attacked her lips with such force she thought they might bruise; not that she was complaining much, she retaliated by reaching for his ears, rubbing small circles on her favorite appendages. He growled deep in his throat, the vibrations making her shiver with anticipation. He gently raked his claws down the front of her t-shirt, cleanly shredding it in his anticipation to get to her bare skin. She laughed against his lips; he'd ripped, and replaced, too many of her clothes at this point for her to care anymore. Instead, she pushed him off of her, and shrugged out of the dangling remains. He watched with interest as she forced him onto his back, and straddled his hips. His youkai wasn't too pleased with his bitch dominating him, but after watching her mope and weep for months, seeing her start to get some of her fiery spirit back was more rewarding than his sore pride.

  
The look on her face as she realized he was already primed and ready made him buck his hips into her clothed heat, and she ground against him in reply, making him groan. “Kagome…” He warned, and she giggled.

  
“No cheating.” She told him, taking the pieces of her shirt and tying them to his wrists, attaching the other ends to their headboard.

  
“Kagome!” While not altogether unhappy with his present situation, her behavior was, to say the least, confusing. “What's gotten into you?”

  
She smirked, and licked the tip of his nose. “You. Or rather, the lack of you.”

  
He was surprised. She nuzzled him. “I've been sending out the signals for weeks, and only now you start the romance again? Koinu has been a very bad boy.”

  
“Hey, when have I ever picked up on—”

  
The rest of his reply was muffled as she kissed him, using the opportunity to caress his tongue with hers. He strained against the feeble cloth keeping him from her skin, but her hands immediately came up to hold him back. She broke away, and glared at him. “No cheating. No super-hanyou powers. You _will_ do as I tell you, koibito, or your punishment will be worse than what I have planned.”

  
Somehow, her dominance was only turning him on more. This was an unexpected turn in their nearly three years of bedroom antics. “What happened to me ravishing you?” ` _What happened to my romantic evening I had planned!?'_

  
“Oh, you'll ravish me, dear, but only when I say you will, and how I tell you to.”

  
InuYasha could feel his youkai muttering something like ` _oh we'll see about_ **_that_** ', but at the moment he currently could care less; if she didn't stop grinding herself against his dick _—with clothing between them, no less!!—_ he wasn't sure he could abide by these little rules she was putting in place. He was straining again, but the moment she stopped, his muscles tensed and to his horror, a whine escaped. Kagome took advantage of his bared throat, and nipped at his pulse, slowly drawing her tongue along it, tracing his jaw, and made the leap to tease his ears. She was rewarded by the grunt and jerk underneath her, as well as the appendage flicking away from the reach of her tongue. She `tsk'ed, and fingered it. “Now, koinu, the rule is, no moving away. You know you like it.”

  
“You _know_ what that does to me…” He groaned.

  
“Exactly.”

  
She took his ear in her mouth again, gently nibbling and licking. His hips bucked unconsciously as he groaned out her name. “Please…” He whispered, his unattended ear laying back.

  
“Please what?”

  
“N-Need… need you…”

  
“Oh do you now? Maybe I need a little something first…”

  
She sat back, careful to hover over his stomach, and watched his heavy eyes widen as she unclasped her bra, freeing her breasts mere inches from his face. He strained against his bonds, lifting his head, trying to reach her, tease her, make her cum—but she just _had_ to pull away, giving him the `naughty-naughty' finger wag. “Koinu needs to be a good boy if he wants his treats.”

  
He pouted as he leaned back. “Koinu wants to be very, _very_ bad though…”

  
He couldn't help but smirk as her scent spiked. He immediately regretted it though when she sat back and reached up to pleasure herself. He could feel the blood draining from his face, all of it flowing south to further harden his throbbing erection; he couldn't take his eyes away from his bitch running her fingers across her nipples, pinching and tweaking them until they hardened. She threw her head back and moaned, running her fingers across their hardened peaks faster. She stood suddenly, and he growled, demanding to be released. She smiled at him through her pleasure-induced haze, and slowly unbuttoned her jeans. “ _Wench…_ ” He growled.

  
She slowly bent, removing both her jeans and panties, and his growls grew louder, his youkai clamoring at the denial of seeing her ass; as much as he hated to admit it, the monk had had something going for him with that particular fixation, and what's worse, it seemed he'd picked up on it as well. The offending clothing removed, Kagome proceeded to further harden his already painful erection by slipping a hand between her legs, amidst her curls. She gasped and moaned; while it was music to his ears, he much preferred if _he_ was the one making her sing them. His control snapped as he smelled her increased arousal, the onset of her orgasm. He barely twitched his wrists before the cloth broke, and he tackled her against the bed, thrusting her arms over her head with one hand, and latching onto her breast with the other. His lips found her perky nipple and he suckled, gently at first, then increasingly stronger as she cried out for him. He let go briefly, his amber eyes glinting at her in the candlelight. “You've been very bad, not letting me tend to you…” His voice was a low growl, causing her to shiver.

  
“Punish me…” She whispered.

  
He attacked her breasts again, one hand delving through her curls and sliding into her warm, wet channel. She writhed beneath him, her breathing labored as she neared her peak. His thumb grazed against her clit, and just as he felt her muscles ripple around him, he pulled out. She half-groaned, half-screamed her frustration, and he smirked, bringing his dripping fingers up to his mouth. “Oh, I'm _sorry_.” He growled between licks. “Did you want something?”

  
She actually growled at him, and his smirk broadened. “Now, now, koibito… You did say to punish you…”

  
She whimpered, and he lowered his head to her core. He nosed through her curls, breathing in her heavily aroused scent. He could get drunk off of that heavenly smell. She tasted better than she smelled, and his mouth watered at the thought. He gently parted her petals, and trust his tongue into her channel, groaning in happiness at the taste of her, the feel of her swollen muscles against his tongue. Kagome cried out, thrusting against him as he lapped at her core, his nose brushing against her clit. Her hands were fisted in his hair, holding him there, needing more of him inside of her. “InuYasha! _Please_!”

  
“Please what?” The low vibration against her sweet spot almost sent her over the edge.

  
“I need… Oh _Kami_ … I need…”

  
“Tell me, bitch.”

  
“Make me cum, _please_!” She wailed, thrusting against him again.

  
In an instant, his clothes were off and he was buried to the hilt in her honey pot. She moaned against him, and his mouth latched onto the juncture in her neck. He growled against her skin as he thrust into her, sucking her skin. She screamed her pleasure as she matched him thrust for thrust. His mouth left her neck as he raised himself up on his elbows, pounding into her harder. “Gods… so good… Kagome…” He grunted, shuddering as her nails scraped across his back.

  
“Harder… please, faster…” She gasped, feeling close to completion.

  
He growled deep in his throat, and paused briefly to turn her onto her stomach. He sat back on his heels, and grasped her hips, bringing her against him and thrusting into her with a speed she couldn't match on her own. He felt her walls ripple and clench around him; she cried out as her orgasm overtook her. He wasn't finished quite yet though, and reached under her to rub his fingers against her breasts. She shuddered, her head snapping back with a cry. “Oh, Kami!”

  
“Say my name.” He grunted, feeling her start to tighten around him again.

  
“Inu…”

  
“Say it, bitch!”

  
“Ooooh… Inu… Yasha…”

  
“Louder!” He roared, sitting up on his knees, never stopping or slowing his pace.

  
“INUYASHA!” She screamed, another orgasm crashing over her.

  
His own howls joined her as he released, his arms going around her stomach to hold her there. She spasmed around his pulsing cock, moaning softly at the feeling. Her arms went under her head as she closed her eyes. He collapsed next to her, kissing her forehead. “That was amazing, koi…” She murmured, snuggling into his embrace.

  
“Keh. As if I'd let you dominate me, after that little striptease stunt…” He told her.

  
“You liked it and you know it.”

  
“Keh.”

  
They cuddled for a bit, enjoying the feel of each other's skin and the rare time without the chance of their daughter to interrupt. Kagome was starting to doze off when their lips met again. She giggled against him and they parted. “Again?” She asked.

  
He wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh again. “You're insatiable.” She told him as he rolled her to her back.

  
“Only when it comes to you.” He told her.

  
She smiled. “Kiss me, you baka.”

  
He complied, and broke the kiss as their clock turned to midnight. “Happy anniversary, koi.”


	5. Otouto

“You know I can always cancel this…” He grumbled, throwing a shirt into the suitcase.

  
His mate sighed, taking the shirt and folding it properly before placing it back into the suitcase. “You know you're overreacting. It's only a few days. You heard Dr. Kiyomura, the baby has barely turned over.”

  
He sighed, raking his fingers through his bangs. “Still. I don't like leaving you right now. You're already overdue as it is.”

  
“Just a day.” She chided gently. “Come on, you won't even be gone a week, how much can happen in that much time?”

  
InuYasha sat down next to her, taking one of her hands in his, and resting the other on her swollen stomach. “What if something happens and I'm not here to save you? I'd never forgive myself for it.”

  
Kagome stroked his cheek. “I'll be fine. We have you on speed dial, we'll call you the instant something happens. I've got Mama, and Grandpa, and Souta; Sesshou-maru and Rin will be there, and I'm sure some of the girls if they're in town.”

  
“Me too!” Izayoi chirped from her position on the floor, her small army of Pinky St. dolls and clothes scattered around her.

  
Kagome smiled brightly at their daughter. “Yes, you too. You and Uncle will be able to take care of me while Otou's gone.”

  
“Count on us, Otou-chan!” The nearly-four-year-old beamed.

  
InuYasha's features were schooling themselves into his old, familiar pout. “Because making my brother out to be the hero always makes me feel better.”

  
“Then we'll let Iza be the alpha. I'm sure she can control both the Tessaiga and Tenseiga, Kami forbid something should happen.” Kagome fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing her mate's fears were real, if irrational.

  
“Otou and Uncle aren't alpha anymore?” Izayoi's voice was filled with concern; she knew the rules of submission, and changes in leadership didn't settle well with anyone in the pecking order.

  
He raised an eyebrow. “Keh. Don't get ahead of yourself, pup. We ain't going anywhere.”

  
The toddler beamed, her world realigned, and went back to dressing her dolls. Kagome focused her attention back on her husband. “Come on, you can make it up to me by getting a cuckoo clock.”

  
His expression didn't even twitch. “Why would I want one of those annoying fu—er… things in the house? It'd just drive me up a wall, and I'd end up breaking it anyway.”

  
“No birdie clocks, Mama, they hurt my ears.” Izayoi piped up.

  
The older woman smirked. “You just want to get me one of those dirndl things so it'll accentuate my assets.”

  
His eyebrow twitched, a smirk gracing his lips. “Oh, I don't think it's your _ass_ ets it'll be accentuating…”

  
Kagome smacked his arm. “Hentai.”

  
“Learned from the best.” He retorted, getting up to find his better slacks.

  
Izayoi's ears pricked. “Otou, you learned in school? Like Iza?”

  
Kagome buried her face in her hands while her mate laughed.

* * *

  
Izayoi protested sleepily in Kagome's arms as she was squished between her parents in a last hug. “I can still stay…” He murmured, their noses touching.

  
“You can go, we'll be fine.” She whispered.

  
“Otou…”

  
InuYasha took his daughter, and hugged her again. “You watch out for Okaa, got it pup? You know what kind of trouble she gets into without me watching out for her.”

  
The toddler giggled. Kagome rolled her eyes. “Still protecting me… You should hurry, you'll miss your flight.”

  
The elder hanyou pouted, and she kissed him. He slipped his tongue in her mouth, and she fought the urge to moan. “Promise for after all this.” He winked at her, and set Izayoi down, who clung to her mother's leg.

  
And then he was gone, and she was sighing to herself. It wasn't as if she enjoyed him traipsing across Germany, but it was for business, and it kept him out of her hair for a few days; hovering over _this_ pregnant lady wasn't the best of ideas, yet her husband didn't seem to understand that just yet. “Come on, sweetie.” She yawned, rubbing one of Izayoi's ears. “Let's go back to bed… You can sleep in the big bed while Otou's gone.”

  
Slipping under the covers, Izayoi sighed as her father's comforting, protective scent reached her nose. “Otou…”

* * *

  
“And then we went to the park, and Obaa-chan bought us that cherry-ice I like a lot, and we played on the swings, and a boy tried to be mean to me and pull my hair, but I pushed him in the sand and he cried, and Obaa-chan got mad, but she was more mad at the boy than she was at me, and then we went home because the sun was goin' down, and Mama made Ramen for dinner, and it was yummy, but it didn't taste the same because you weren't here to have some too, Otou.”

  
Kagome raised her eyebrows in an amused expression as her daughter took a deep breath and started another long-winded sentence. She could hear InuYasha trying to get in a word or two, in the tinny receiver end of the phone, as Izayoi jabbered on about what bedtime story she got, and the dream she'd had. “Iza, sweetheart, one more minute, and then you need to get in the bath.” She gently reminded her.

  
The girl chirped a cheerful goodbye and an “I love you, Otou!” and handed the phone to her mother, scampering up the stairs to the bathroom. “Poor thing, your ears must be bleeding.” Kagome cooed into the phone.

  
_\--Keh, the girl got your mouth, that's for certain.—_ He teased.

  
“She just misses you. I do too, for that matter.”

  
\-- _I miss both my girls. I knew I should have stayed the fuck at home._ \--

  
“You're about to close the deal on the new plant, which means you get to assign someone else to look over it, and you won't have to worry about it. You'll be home in two days, I know you can make it.” She soothed.

  
_\--That shirt you gave me is starting to fade, I miss your scent._ —He told her quietly.

  
“I should have given you your haori, I sleep in it all the time.”

  
\-- _Keh. It's not yours though,_ _it's just my old clothes. It's more… you when it's your own shit._ —

  
“Romantic as always, love.” It was a gentle rebuke; she knew he wasn't Shakespeare when it came to his words, and she also knew he meant it sincerely.

  
\-- _Damn straight. Now you, miss, should make sure our daughter isn't flooding the bathroom-again. And then you should get that lovely little ass to bed, I know what time it is over there, and I know you're trying not to yawn.—_ He told her, just as she muffled a yawn.

  
“Still looking after me, half a world away. I love you, InuYasha.” She told him softly.

  
_\--I love you too, Kagome. Go to bed.—_

  
“All right, all right. Night, baka.” She laughed, and hung up.

  
She cautiously made her way up the stairs, hearing Izayoi laughing and splashing away in the bathtub. “Is there a flood?” She called teasingly.

  
“No, Mama! I made it stay in this time!” The girl cheerfully called back.

  
Once the girl was tucked into hers and her mate's bed, Kagome told her to try and sleep while she took a bath herself. While she usually cleaned up in the mornings, her back was bothering her again, and the warm water would help. She scrubbed herself pink, and sat in the warm bath for a while, letting the jets soothe her muscles. She almost didn't want to get out, but the ten minutes she'd stayed in was risky enough, and reluctantly dried off. ` _Hurry up, little one…_ ' She thought as she slid into the bed next to her daughter. ` _Mama's body needs a break, and she wants to see you!_ '

* * *

  
“Mama?”

  
“Hey sweetheart.” Kagome patted the swing next to her, and Izayoi eagerly jumped up.

  
The young girl looked at her, her long hair swinging behind her, revealing the amethyst bow that held it back. “Tell me about Papa again?” She asked, pushing the swing back a little with her feet.

  
Kagome was confused. “Sweetie, you know your Papa.”

  
“You said he died, Mama. He was brave and protected you, but he died alone before I was born.” Izayoi said, looking completely unperturbed at the ill look on her mother's face.

  
She felt numb all over, until her stomach decided to clench painfully. She fell off the swing to her knees, holding her stomach, and holding back her tears. She couldn't have lost him again, she couldn't! Izayoi had jumped off her swing and was shaking her lightly. “Mama? Mama!”

* * *

  
“Mama! Mama, wake up!”

  
She was being shaken. Izayoi wanted something. She lifted herself up by her elbows, blinking at her daughter sleepily. Her hair was shoulder-length again, and Kagome realized she'd been dreaming. “Sweetheart, what's wrong?”

  
“Mama, the bed's wet.”

  
“Izayoi! You're too big for that, you know—”

  
“No, Mama, it's you!”

  
Kagome sat up all the way, just as another contraction decided to rush through her abdomen. She hissed out a breath. “Oh no… Iza, sweetheart, go call Obaa-chan for me. I need you to tell her your baby brother or sister is coming, and she needs to come over here now. You know the number to press right?”

  
“Yes, Mama!” The small girl hopped out of the bed and hurried down the stairs.

  
Kagome gingerly got out of the bed, taking deep, calming breaths. She changed into a dress, and thought about changing the sheets. She stared at the bed for a moment, and got to work, deciding that the less time the amniotic fluids got to soak in, the less time it would take for the bedding to air out. Bundling the bedding down the laundry chute, she then faced her hospital bag. She frowned at it, knowing it was heavy; in the end, she decided to kick it to the stairs, and have either Izayoi or her mother bring it down to the car.

  
Downstairs, Izayoi was answering her grandmother's questions as best she knew. “I dunno, Obaa-chan, I woke up a bit ago and the bed was all wet, and I knew it wasn't me.”

  
_\--Ok sweetheart, I'll be there as soon as possible. I need you to call your Papa and tell him what's going on too, ok?—_

  
“Ok, Obaa-chan. I love you.”

  
_\--I love you too sweetheart. I'll see you soon.—_

  
She hung up the phone, and then pressed the button that called InuYasha's cell phone. Her papa's sleepy voice answered. “Otou? Otou, it's Iza.”

  
_\--Izayoi? Pup, what's wrong, why are you on the phone this late?—_ InuYasha was immediately awake and panic threatened to lace his voice.

  
“It's Mama, Otou. Obaa-chan told me I should call you.”

  
_\--What's wrong with Mama_ _, pup? Tell Otou what's wrong.—_ Unknown to his daughter, he was already out of bed, and fumbling to get dressed; he was getting on the first plane back to Japan, the rest of the meetings be damned. His mate was in trouble.

  
Izayoi took a deep breath. “I woke up and the bed was wet, and I knew it wasn't me because I know better, so I thought it had to be Mama, and I woke her up and she made a noise like she was hurting. She told me I needed to call Obaa-chan and tell her to come over because my baby brother or sister is coming, and after Obaa-chan asked me a bunch of questions that I didn't know the answers to she told me I needed to call you and tell you what was going on, so that's why I called.”

  
InuYasha breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He made a mental note to teach his daughter the art of being blunt and not dancing around a thing; her mother did that enough, he didn't need another headache. _-Alright, pup, I need you to tell Mama I'll be home as soon as I can. And then I need you to take care of her until I get there,_ _k_ _?—_

  
“Papa, Obaa-chan said she was gonna take me to Uncle Sessh.”

  
He bit back a growl. _-I need you with Mama, and tell Obaa-chan that I said that. She'll listen.—_

  
Izayoi was doubtful of that. “Ok…”

  
_\--Go on, pup. I'll be home soon, go help your Mama.—_

  
“Ok. Love you Otou.”

  
_\--Love you too, pup. Now scat!—_

  
She giggled and hung up, sliding off her stool and running back up the stairs. Kagome was bracing herself against the railing, her bag at the top of the stairs. “Iza, sweetheart, I know it might be heavy, but I need you to take Mama's suitcase down by the front door. Can you do that?”

  
“Uh-huh! Obaa-chan said she'd be here as fast as she can. And she told me to call Otou, and he said he'd be home as soon as he could too.” Izayoi grunted as she picked up the bag and dutifully marched back down the stairs with it.

  
The older woman resigned herself to a sigh as she eased down the stairs. As much as she did want InuYasha here for this, she also didn't want to have him offend his new clients. Then again, he would probably tell her that they could go fuck themselves sooner than he would miss out on more than he had to. Izayoi raced up the stairs past her. “I'll get dressed, Mama!”

  
Ten minutes later, Kagome was fixing Izayoi's hair into her usual pigtails just as there was a knock at the door. “Obaa-chan!!” The toddler shrieked happily, and wriggled from her mother's grasp to go answer the door.

  
“Kagome, dear, how are you feeling?” Mama asked as she slipped off her shoes.

  
She smiled. “As well as expected. Still ten minutes apart, we have a few hours.”

  
Izayoi tugged at her grandmother's shirt. “Obaa-chan, Otou said to tell you I was `asposed to stay with Mama, not got to Uncle's.”

  
Mama knelt and tweaked one of her granddaughter's puppy ears as the girl giggled. “Did he now? Well, sweet one, Otou probably didn't tell you that it's going to be very boring for a few hours, and that good little girls who helped their mamas out so much need to get their sleep before they become big sisters.”

  
Izayoi stuck out her lower lip. “Otou said.”

  
Kagome sighed slightly. “How's this, Iza: you can come with us, but if you start to get sleepy, you're going with Uncle Sesshou-maru and Aunt Rin, ok?”

  
She nodded agreeably. “Ok.”

  
Mama looked at her daughter with raised brows; if she knew her granddaughter as well as her daughter and her husband, the small girl would probably be tied down and forced to sleep with one of Kagome's spells rather than willingly admit she was tired. Kagome smiled back sheepishly; she knew what she was getting into.

* * *

  
“Not sleepy, nuh-uh. Staying with Mama like Otou said.” Izayoi said stubbornly from her chair in the hallway.

  
It had been a few hours, and the tired look in the pup's eyes was more convincing than the yawns she struggled to hide, or her protests. Rin was trying to coax the girl with her; not even the prospect of getting to put braids into Sesshou-maru's hair, a favorite pastime when she was being pup-sat, was powerful enough to unseat the toddler. Mama placed a hand on Rin's shoulder. “Perhaps if we leave her be for a bit, she'll fall asleep on her own. If she does, then you can take her.”

  
Rin pursed her lips. “Hai…”

  
A grunt was heard from Kagome's room. Mama went in. “How are you feeling dear?”

  
“Like I can't feel anything… It's normal, right?” Kagome's words were slightly slurred from the numbing effects of the epidural.

  
Mama smoothed her daughter's sweaty hair back. “Everything's fine dear.”

  
“It's taking forever… Iza didn't take this long, did she?” Kagome sighed tiredly.

  
Her mother smiled. “Izayoi is also highly impatient. She was early, came out fast, and then decided to do everything earlier than any other child I've ever met. I think this one will be your saving grace, taking his time.”

  
Kagome smiled tiredly. “InuYasha? Have you heard anything?”

  
“Nothing yet, dear. Sesshou-maru called a few of the airports in Munich, and the one he left from said his flight left around 2am. It's a twelve-hour flight, I don't know if he'll make it in time.” Mama told her.

  
Izayoi's cry was heard from the hall. “NOOOOOO!”

  
Kagome fought to sit up as Mama looked outside. Sesshou-maru held the wriggling girl in one arm, not even flinching as she bit at him with her blunt human teeth. “NONONONONONO!” She wailed.

  
“Izayoi, you know better! No biting, and no screaming!” Mama scolded, her hands on her hips.

  
“NO!! Can't go, Otou SAID!!”

  
“Izayoi!” Sesshou-maru barked, his voice stern. “You will calm yourself, and you will come quietly!”

  
She whimpered another protest, until her uncle let out a low, threatening growl. Her head bowed, and Mama knew that if she wasn't wearing her bracelet, her ears would have been flat on her head in submission. Rin gave a strained smile to her sister-in-law's mother as her mate walked away with the pup. “We'll bring her back when she's had some rest.”

  
“Thank you.”

  
Kagome's sigh of relief was heard in the room. “She's getting to be just as bad as her father…”

* * *

  
InuYasha ground his teeth together as he impatiently waited for the plane to stop circling the airport and land already. If there wasn't the chance that he might cause the plane to go down, he'd turn on his cell phone that very minute to find out what the hell was going on a mere mile or two beneath his seat. His nerves had been tense and knotted since that very early phone call from his daughter, and over twelve hours later, he wasn't feeling any calmer; on the contrary, he was wishing he hadn't left Tessaiga at home, so he could get rid of these idiots and get to his mate. His ears popped as they descended another few thousand feet. He was just about to let loose a few words that would turn the air blue when the plane bumped against the runway. Now came the agonizing minutes it took to get to the terminal, and then waiting for everyone and their moms to take their sweet-ass time getting out ahead of him.

  
He raced out of the terminal, ignoring the indignant protests of people he shoved out of the way. One had the gall to grab him. “Fuck off, pal!” InuYasha growled in warning.

  
“Watch it, then!” He sneered; he had barely been grazed.

  
“Let's see how _you_ act when _your_ wife goes into labor and you're halfway across the world!” InuYasha snapped, and sped off.

  
Either people had heard, or the airport was unusually slow today, but he managed to get through customs, to the baggage claim, and off towards the parking lot in almost record time. The sight of his brother, sister-in-law, and his daughter greeted him. “OTOU!!” Izayoi shrieked, fighting her way out of her uncle's grasp, and throwing herself at him.

  
He bent and picked her up, hugging her tightly. “I told you to stay with Mama, pup.”

  
She pouted in just that way that made him forget his annoyance. “Uncle was mean…” She whimpered.

  
He raised an eyebrow at Sesshou-maru, who looked uncharacteristically contrite. “She was behaving obstinately; however, I admittedly was uncouth in my actions with handling her.”

  
The other eyebrow went up. “If I had any idea of what the fu—err, seven hells you were saying, I'd say something about it.”

  
“He made me leave Mama, when you said not to. I cried, but Uncle barked and made me submit…” Izayoi's voice was full of guilt-inducing pout.

  
InuYasha nuzzled the top of his daughter's head. “It's ok, pup.” He turned back to his brother, grabbing up his suitcase in the other hand. “Let's go, and you can tell me what's going on while we go.”

* * *

  
Kagome was sleeping when he got there. He dropped to his knees next to her bed and gently took what he could of her into his arms. She smelled of the new pup, and all the hard work that had gone into it. She didn't even stir when he touched her. “I'm sorry…” He whispered near her ear.

  
Rin stood in the doorway. “InuYasha-niichan… We can go down to the nursery to see the pup, and let Kagome-neechan sleep. She's tired, the pup didn't come until almost ten this morning.”

  
He nodded, and gently made his mate comfortable again, kissing her brow before following his sister-in-law. He didn't even bother looking into the nursery window, only knocked on the door. A nurse poked her head out. “Parents and grandparents only.” She told him with a sniff.

  
“I'm the father.” He snapped, his nerves still straining. “Nishi, there's a baby Nishi here. I just got in from a fucking twelve hour flight because my wife went into labor, and I want to see my kid.”

  
The nurse looked panicked, and beckoned him inside. “My apologies, Nishi-san, I wasn't made aware… I'll be back, if you'll just wait here?”

  
He fought the urge to tap his foot in impatience, but immediately froze when the nurse returned holding a blue bundle. She gently transferred the small boy into his father's arms. “There you are, little man.” She cooed.

  
“He'll be a handsome one.” She told InuYasha with a smile. “I'll be in the office if you need me.”

  
After she left, he sat in the rocking chair provided, taking a good look at his son. ` _My son… Sachi…_ ' He thought.

  
They hadn't picked out names. In the two years since Kagome's miscarriage, after trying for so long for another child, they'd stopped talking about names when his nose would fail to detect the sweet scent of pregnancy again and again. It hurt to get their hopes up again. Yet, he knew Kagome would like to name him for her father, as they'd decided so many years ago with Izayoi, and he admittedly liked the name himself. The pup gave a baby-sigh in discontent as he woke, and squinted at his father with amethyst eyes; with his black tufts of hair, he was his father's human form in miniature. InuYasha thought of something, and unwrapped the boy from his blanket briefly, noting the concealment bracelet. “Well then, let's see what you look like, Sachi…”

  
Once off, Sachi's ears moved, becoming floppy black puppy ears, blending nicely with what little hair he had. InuYasha mentally rolled his eyes at the thought of how his mother-in-law had probably reacted. From what he could tell, Sachi's eyes were the same amber as his. Father and son regarded each other, before the boy yawned, and sighed with content as he settled in for another nap. “Figures you'd be the opposite of your sister…” InuYasha murmured, putting the bracelet back on and bundling him up. “I don't know what you'll make of her, but she'll adore you. She's like that, just like your mama. Your mama's the best mama in the world, you're lucky to have her, you know? You're the other big man in the house now, I'm gonna need you to help me look after her, she gets herself into trouble without someone to look after her.

  
“And me… I dunno. I almost messed up when your sister was gonna be born, but that's a story I'll save when you're older, and dealing with your own girl problems. I try and do my best with your sister, and I'll be damned if I don't try just as hard with you. You have four cousins who will think you're the best thing since sliced bread, and an uncle who can be a pretty big prick but is good with kids, and an aunt who will spoil you more rotten than your grandma will.” InuYasha wasn't quite sure why he felt the need to talk to his sleeping son; maybe because he'd been that small once, and probably would have liked to have a clue as to how hard this life thing was going to be, and wanted to give the kid some insight, whether he understood it or not. “Your Obaa-chan is going to spoil you, she has a thing for these ears we got. I hope you like the park as much as Izayoi. Your great-grandfather's an alright guy, kind of daft, but we keep him around. He'll tell you a bunch of stories that are nothing but bull, but some of them are true, and don't get any ideas about the well at the shrine. It doesn't work anymore. Oh yeah, and your Uncle Souta. He's a good kid, you'll like him too. He'll teach you all those sports that guys are supposed to be into.”

  
InuYasha gently thumbed Sachi's face; it never ceased to amaze him how soft a pup's skin was. “It's a good family you came into, pup. I don't know how I got so lucky to be a part of it, but I'm glad just the same. I want the best for you and your sister, none of the crap I had to put up with, and I think with them, we can do that. Now, I'm going to give you back to the nurse, and go see your mama. I haven't seen her in ages, and… well, you'll understand that when you're older.”

  
He reluctantly gave Sachi up to go back in his bassinet, and gave a half-smile to Rin, who looked pleased. “Do you guys have a name for him? I know you hadn't talked about it…”

  
InuYasha smiled softly, jamming his hands in his pockets as they went. “Sachi. After Kagome's father.”

  
“Happiness.” Rin said quietly, smiling herself. “Fitting.”

  
He shooed her away, telling her to take Izayoi to see Sachi through the nursery window. The toddler went with a pout, walking between her aunt and uncle, as InuYasha closed the door to his mate's room, and lightly climbed in the bed behind her. With an arm tucked firmly around her waist, he found himself calming down more with her soothing scent. She snuggled into his embrace. “He's beautiful, isn't he… our Sachi?” She murmured.

  
“He is…” InuYasha replied quietly, kissing her cheek. “Rest, love. We've got two of them now.”

  
She giggled slightly, and obeyed. He followed in slumber.


	6. There's a Cricket in the Bathroom

“MAMA!!” Izayoi screeched.

  
Kagome sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that day, and heaved her son up, away from doing one of his favorite activities: yanking on his sister's ponytails. Sachi screeched his own unhappiness, trying to wiggle his way back to the floor, grabbing at the air. “ANEKI!!!”

  
She deposited Sachi into his playpen, which would hold him for all of about fifteen minutes, (at nine months, he was as mobile as his sister, and just as clever at getting where he wanted to be), and turned her attention back to the papers strewn about on the table. Even with the two classes a week at the university, she still felt as overwhelmed as if she were still balancing full classes and shard hunting. Only now, it was motherhood to two appallingly lively children and the minimum amount of classes a week. She was just wrestling with a new statistics problem when she heard the newest dilemma of the afternoon: the cat loudly protesting the pulling of his tail. “Sachi!” Kagome raised her voice sharply, her patience wearing thin.

  
Her son pouted back at her, sitting outside of his pen like she'd expected, and let go of Inago's tail. She mentally cursed both her husband and her daughter for their double-teaming her with Puppy Eyes. They'd found the Egyptian Mau shortly after Sachi was born, starving and barely out of kittenhood, on a walk in their forest. He'd been filthy and bony, but after Kagome's initial apprehension had faded, she'd submitted to their begging, and taken the poor thing in. It turned out that InuYasha had a thing for cats; she should have guessed it from the way he'd always pestered Buyo, and how he'd been just as upset as she when her old pet had died when Izayoi was barely a year old. Izayoi insisted they name the cat Inago, for reasons known only to her, but she and her husband speculated it had something to do with the cat's love of pouncing on everything, leaving silvery cat hair all over everything and increasing the amount of cleaning to be done.

  
With that solved, Kagome set her pencil against the sheet of paper, just as the bickering between her heathens started up again. She decided to ignore it, letting them get it out of their system, when the crying started. “NO, THEY'RE MINE! YOU'LL BREAK THEM!” Izayoi shrieked, yanking her dolls our of his reach as Sachi began to bawl out of frustration.

  
“WANT TO PLAY WIF ANEKI!”

  
“NO!”

  
Kagome's fingers were laced in her hair as she took several deep breaths to calm herself _._ “OKAA!” Her son cried, falling on the floor and beating it with his fists.

  
It was a full-blown temper tantrum now, one that his sister couldn't resist inflaming even more by taunting, “You're such a baby, you don't get your way and you have to go and cry about it!”

  
Their mother turned just in time to watch Sachi, still red-faced and screaming, get up and launch himself at Izayoi. They were decently matched, neither particularly stronger than the other, and where Izayoi lacked her brother's fangs, he didn't have her claws. Feral yowls and shrieks filled the living room; Kagome had had enough, particularly when Sachi left a particularly nasty-looking bite on Izayoi's shoulder, and she retaliated with a swipe down his leg. “That's enough!” Kagome hollered, stepping in the midst of the foray, and heaving one child over her shoulder, and the other one on her hip.

  
They spat childish curses at each other, and Kagome winced once or twice as she felt Izayoi's claws scrape on her back as she attempted to pull her brother's ears, and Sachi's wailing made all of their ears ache; his flying fists were going to leave bruises on his mother's hip and back, but it would be worth it once she dumped the little Neanderthals out into the chilly March afternoon. It was her good luck though, that just as she got to the back door, her husband stepped inside, shedding his coat as he did. “Hey, koi, what—”

  
Kagome thrust one squalling child at him, and then the other. “Outside. Now. Exhaust them.”

  
She shoved the protesting, confused InuYasha out the door, and closed it. Sighing with relief at the quiet that settled in her house, she sat down and proceeded to finish her stats homework.

* * *

  
Izayoi's nose was threatening to dip into her bowl of Ramen. Her violet eyes gazed blearily at her mother, watching in a daze as she coaxed the irritably exhausted Sachi into taking another bite of noodles. InuYasha was on his fourth bowl, a fifth cooling in the wings, and Kagome had barely touched her cup of the stuff, trying to get their youngest to eat.

  
The children's father had succeeded in wearing them out, so much in fact that Kagome wasn't sure if they should bother with baths at all that night, for fear that they might fall asleep in the tub and drown. She wasn't sure exactly how her husband had done it, but she had a feeling that the older hanyou's stamina and the children's love of `Tag/Shove/Punch/Smack/Hit-You're-It' (the ferocity depending on who they were playing with, and if the last person It had particularly annoyed them) had something to do with it. “Iza, finish your Ramen, and you can go upstairs.” Kagome chided gently.

  
“Ok, Mama…” She yawned, and clumsily brought her chopsticks up to her mouth.

  
Twenty minutes and two partially-empty containers later, both children were in their PJs and fast asleep in their beds. Kagome sighed and rolled her head to get the kinks out of her neck, pouring the remaining broth down the drain and tossing the noodles into their kitchen compost container. InuYasha's arms slid around her waist gently, holding her snug against him. “I could have eaten that, you know.” He complained.

  
“Yes, but I don't want to experiment on how many bowls of Ramen it takes for your blood pressure to skyrocket, if it's all the same to you.” Kagome remarked with a hint of her already-simmering temper.

  
“My blood pressure doesn't skyrocket.” He retorted, enjoying the fact that he was getting her riled up; nothing was more beautiful than his wife's face alight with her infamous temper.

  
“You know what I mean. And I know what you're trying to do, so stop it.”

  
“Stop what?” He asked innocently.

  
“You're insufferable, you know that right?”

  
“And you love me for it, bitch.”

  
Kagome fumed, her patience thin from the children's constant bickering all day, and shoved herself away from him, violently throwing the empty containers in the trash, and stomping off. He was there to intercept her, planting a kiss on her lips. She jerked away, glaring at him. She recognized that twinkle in his eye: he was a man who was aroused by what he saw. She was in no mood for him and his antics at the moment, but her hanyou was apparently going to ignore all of the `you really don't want to be doing this right now' vibes, and have his way with her.

  
And with that thought, a bit of her resolve broke.

  
He sensed it as she stalked away from him. Ignoring the cat, who was watching them with curious, bored green eyes from his position on the back of the chair, he silently followed her, standing behind the couch as she sat down with a sigh. His hands found the curves of her neck, where they met her shoulders, and gently kneaded the tense muscles underneath. A moan escaped her before she could catch herself, her head lolling back with the relief accompanying the massage. She felt him shift, and gasped when his tongue traced the shell of her ear. He chuckled, the warm puffs of air against her skin sending goosebumps racing up her arms. “Not so loud, my dear one… we wouldn't want the children waking up…”

  
“If those little heathens wake up, you'll take care of it for making me-ah!” She hissed with pleasure as one of his hands slipped down her shirt and teased a nipple.

  
“You'll do what?” He murmured seductively, lapping against the pulse pounding in her neck.

  
Kagome mumbled something incoherent. He grinned, flashing a fang, and lightly nibbled the sensitive skin on her shoulders. He had her sighing and squirming on the couch underneath him in a matter of minutes. She giggled as his claws danced at her sides. “Inu-ah! Stop, please!” She laughed as the tickling grew more intense.

  
Hot air puffed against her chest, her shirt unbuttoned and her bra shoved up to reveal her voluptuous breasts. The look in his eye was positively feral as he captured a nipple, her laughter dissolving into gasps and moans of pleasure, it's twin becoming occupied by his hand. The other slowly crept towards the waistband of her jeans, and her breath hitched in anticipation. He was just getting to the good parts when…

  
“BUGGY!”

  
Sachi's excited, sleepy squeal reverberated through the house from upstairs. Kagome sighed in frustration as her mate muttered a few choice words about kids and their excellent timing. “Mama, buggy!” Sachi called, toddling to the banister.

  
“What buggy?” Kagome asked, more confused as the shroud of passion started clearing from her mind.

  
Izayoi grumbled, poking her head around the corner of the upstairs. “Mama, make him go back to bed.” She whined.

  
“Buggy in the bafroom!” Sachi explained in a condescending tone.

  
Kagome squirmed. “A bug in the bathroom? Eeew, InuYasha…”

  
“What, I didn't do anything!” He snapped.

  
“No, I mean, go kill it or something.”

  
Izayoi had stomped into the bathroom to investigate herself. “There's a cricket in the bathroom!” She called. “Can I kill it, Papa, please?”

  
“Go ahead, pup, saves me the trip…”

  
There was a moment of silence, as Kagome made her way up the stairs to put Sachi back to bed, when the small girl shrieked. InuYasha was up the stairs in a flash. “What happened?”

  
“It JUMPED on me!” Izayoi cried, more surprised than anything, the cricket seemingly quite at home on top of one of her ears. She flicked it, and the cricket bounced onto the rim of the bathroom.

  
Fifteen minutes of chasing the miniscule insect around the bathroom later, InuYasha slammed the window shut, having just released the thing back into the wild; he and Izayoi had agreed that anything that small that put up such a fight to live should get their wish. He was just putting his little girl down to bed when Sachi barreled into the room and latched onto his leg. “NO! NO BED!”

  
_And now the fun begins…_ , he thought, mentally rolling his eyes. “Sachi, I thought you were tired.”

  
“NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!”

  
Izayoi was grabbing her favorite nighttime accessory: a pair of soundproof earmuffs, straight from the airport runways. Even with her concealment bracelet on, her hearing was well above-average, and her brother's nightly bedtime tantrums kept her awake. InuYasha tried again. “You know you'll just make yourself more tired, and then you won't be able to go to the park with Obaa-san in the morning.”

  
Sachi's face was red from screaming. InuYasha's head was starting to hurt, and his ears were definitely going to be ringing for the next few hours. He heaved the squalling child over his shoulder, ears pinned back as far as they would go, and glared at his mate. “Make him stop.” He told her, handing him over.

  
“Oh, like I'm the only one able to?” She snapped, her patience gone with the announcement of their insect guest and her son's fit.

  
He followed, feeling slightly guilty about picking an argument, and watched her put the boy into his bed. “Sachi, stay in bed, or Okaa will be very upset with you.” She told him over his squalling.

  
She closed the door behind her, and drew a sign over the door. It glowed pink for a minute, then faded. It was a basic sealing spell, one she'd learned to do without sutra, and it would only sting a little if Sachi tried to open the door and cause more of a fuss. Without a word, she stormed into their bedroom. InuYasha knew his chances of rekindling what they'd started earlier were slim, not that he was in any real mood to be soft and romantic either, and went downstairs to shut off all of the lights.

  
She was still fuming under the covers when he came back upstairs, and when he finished his nightly routine in the bathroom. She tensed slightly when he slipped an arm around her waist. “Koi, it's alright…” He told her.

  
“It's not! All I want is some peace and quiet to get some studying done, but no! My children have to behave like little demons all day!” She exclaimed.

  
“Well, they _are_ part-demon…” He muttered, but she ignored him like he knew she would.

  
“Then the _one_ time I start to relax and enjoy myself all day, yet another crisis starts up, and it ends up with me looking like the bad guy because I have to seal Sachi into his room, and he'll cry for another hour, and I know I can't go in there or else he'll know he's won, and he needs some discipline! I don't know what I'm doing wrong!” She wailed, starting to cry herself.

  
InuYasha's own nerves were shot by this point, but he held her as she cried into his chest. “You aren't doing anything wrong.” He told her after a few minutes. “Pups are different, each one. Izayoi was the good one, and it looks like Sachi's going to be the trouble-maker. It happens. Every one of Miroku and Sango's pups were different in their own way, and don't even get me started on Shippou and Itazura's clan. You're a good mother, Kagome. Today was just a bad day.”

  
She nodded. “I know… I'm just so frustrated with everything… And I don't want to ask Mama to take them more than she already does, and Souta doesn't have the time to babysit often. And I'm frustrated that we were interrupted…”

  
“Like _that_ hasn't happened before?” InuYasha asked sarcastically.

  
“You know what I mean… I needed that, and now I'm just not in the mood…”

  
He pouted. “You sure?”

  
“Well…”

  
He dropped a bit of bait. “I'll let you be in control.”

  
She laughed, and he felt better for hearing it. “You'll _let_ me, will you?”

  
“For the time being, yes.”

  
Kagome smirked, shifting so that she was straddling his waist. She reached over and opened the drawer to the nightstand, and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Holding them daintily in two fingers, she asked, “For the time being? I think not.”

  
As he was being chained to the headboard, a slight wave of panic washed over him. _What have I gotten myself into?_

  
It was the last coherent thought he had before his mate ravished him into Nirvana.

  
  



	7. Nao

_“We think your daughter has Williams Syndrome.”_

  


  
He watched his mate stare blankly out the window; there were circles under her eyes he hadn't noticed before, the strain of the last few years was taking its toll. At two years old, their second daughter, Nao, had undergone two major heart surgeries already, and a third was being considered. Her twin, Ryuu, had thankfully been just as healthy as Izayoi and Sachi at birth, but just a few weeks after they'd been brought home, she had suddenly stopped breathing. After rushing to the hospital, Nao had been revived, and the source had been diagnosed as aortic valve stenosis. InuYasha had no idea what any of that meant, until Kagome explained that her heart wasn't able to pump blood from one side to the other very well.

  


  
_“They'll have to go in and fix her_ _heart so this won't happen any_ _more.”_ _She spoke calmly, as if things like this happened every day in their lives, but inside, she was screaming._

  


  
Now, two years and as many surgeries to fix it later, blood work had been done, and Nao was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome; he wasn't sure what that was either, and the doctors certainly hadn't been helpful, saying it was different in every person who had it. Something with genetics and chromosomes and other scientific bullshit he didn't really want to deal with. He knew his daughter was different than his other pups: she was a miniature, near-perfect copy of her mother, and had the miko powers to prove it.

  


  
_“Kaa!_ _Tou! `Ook!_ _” Nao's smile was wide as could be as a ball of pale flame danced around her. Kagome merely watched, more cautious than fearful; InuYasha couldn't see what they were looking at, but sensed something supernatural._

  
_A kitsune spirit appeared briefly, tugging Nao's hair for luck, and vanished in the blink of an eye. Her mother sighed, smiling ruefully. “Well, at least someone else around here will be able to seal Sachi in his room when he's_ _temperamental_ _.”_

  


  
Nao and Ryuu, while twins, couldn't be more different. When she wasn't exhausted, Kagome often joked that they were the gods' little prank, a literal representation of yin and yang. They looked almost identical, the same black hair, pointed ears like their uncle, and warm mahogany eyes, but that's where it ended. Nao was smaller and thinner, with pixie-like features, and a small bank of miko fire within her. Ryuu's demon blood was dominant, his hands adorned with claws, and fangs whenever he smirked, just like his father. She was left-handed; he was right. Ryuu turned human on the waxing crescent moon; Nao turned hanyou, complete with silver hair and puppy ears, her miko spirit becoming dormant. The first month of the change, the house had been filled with wails: neither pup had any idea what was going on. Nao's nature was sweet and friendly, and Ryuu was showing signs of his father's infamous dislike of crowds.

  
Her pixyish-appearance and her all-around different nature, had been yet another reason for the blood tests. Today, they were scheduled to take her back to the hospital for an fMRI, and some tests for any mental disabilities. Again, InuYasha had no idea what any of that was going to accomplish, if it wasn't going to fix his daughter, and make his wife the cheerful, good-natured woman he'd fallen in love with so long ago. “Kagome?”

  


  
_Her face was glowing. “We're having twins.”_

  
_He paled slightly; the two they had were handfuls and a half. But he didn't have the heart to erase that beam from her face with his fears. “Twins?”_

  
_“Aren't you excited?” Her face fell a little, sensing his anxiety._

  
_“I am. Don't get me wrong, Kagome. I'm just… we have enough trouble with the two we've got.” He told her quickly._

  
_She shook her head. “I know, InuYasha… But Sachi's gotten a little better about bedtime. We've talked with Iza about tormenting him. I think we can do this.”_

  
_She spoke from her heart, a wistful glimmer in her eyes, and he believed her._

  


  
She turned, and the look on her face was enough to break his heart. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes, and she looked as though the whole world rested on her shoulders. Her arm was still bruised from the last blood donation she'd given in preparation for Nao's next surgery; their blood types were the same, AB, and the infusions of pure-human blood didn't hurt her as they might her siblings. “InuYasha…”

  
He walked over to her, and held her close. He worried about her. He'd noticed the little things lately—at 26, she'd lost her youthful energy; the bags under her eyes were darker than he'd originally thought. There was a worry line forming between her brows. He feared she was slowly starting to age, and watching her die might be the one thing that could kill him. “It'll be ok, koi. We're just going for tests; she's not getting surgery this time.” He told her softly, running his claws through her hair.

  
She nodded. “I know… I'm just so worried…”

  


  
_“What do you mean, you_ **_think_** _?!” Kagome cried, fighting against InuYasha's hold._

  
_“We need to take a closer examination of the DNA samples we received, but there appears to be some sort of anomaly in her seventh chromosome. It's a rare chance, but with the behavioral and physical attributes your daughter has, there's_ _a very good chance that she has Williams Syndrome.” The genetics specialist informed them, unfazed by Kagome's outburst._

  
_InuYasha tightened his grip on his trembling wife. “What are the chances?”_

  
_The specialist glanced at his charts. “One in seven-thousand five hundred; nowhere near as common as autism or Downs Syndrome, but the good news is that we've discovered it early enough that we can begin working on discovering the more prominent disabilities she will have once she's further along in development. She can get the help she needs, and live a relatively normal life.”_

  
_“_ ** _Relatively_** _?! She'll lead a_ **_perfectly_** _normal life! Because there's NOTHING wrong with my daughter!” Kagome yelled, furious._

  
_“Nishi-san, you cannot deny that the problems with her heart are anything but normal; her condition is not normal. It will be years before she's able to get a permanent valve replacement. She will have to do the best she can with the—”_

  
_InuYasha interrupted him. “Stop. Don't say anything else.” He snapped as Kagome buried her face into his chest and sobbed._

  


  
Sachi poked his head in the room. “Mama?”

  
InuYasha growled softly, letting him know it was ok. The three-year old cautiously climbed up on his parents' bed, and snuggled next to his mother. “Don't be sad, Mama…” He mumbled as she put her arm around him.

  
InuYasha's heart hurt. Sachi had calmed down after becoming a big brother, his nature turning quiet and thoughtful, with an almost crippling shyness that made him stick to his mother like glue. He was as sensitive to her mood changes as InuYasha. Sachi hadn't been the only one to change since the arrival of their younger siblings: Izayoi had almost been forced to grow up beyond her five years, taking both of her brothers in hand while Kagome fretted over Nao's health after that first attack. Kagome herself, aside from worrying herself sick, was also starting to scare him with how often she spoke of death. He still remembered that first, alarming conversation they'd had, after the second time their youngest had almost died…

  


  
_“InuYasha…”_

  
_“Yeah?” He grunted, still on edge from looking away for one second before Nao had had a seizure that resulted in the latest trip to the hospital._

  
_“She won't die, will she?” Kagome didn't look at him, instead watching through the window as half a dozen doctors surrounded their nine-month old daughter._

  
_“No, Kagome. She won't die.” He hoped he wasn't lying._

  
_If he was, he wasn't sure who he was trying to convince: her, or himself._

  
_She looked away. “People survive this stuff all the time… They do, I know they do… but they never talk about their families. How hard it is to stand by and watch as all this terrible stuff happens… and you can't do anything about it…”_

  
_He reached over and took her hand. He worried that she blamed him for not watching Nao carefully enough, but deep down, he knew that even if he'd been watching, he'd have only seen her eyes roll back into her head as she'd started convulsing. Kagome leaned against his arm. He shifted, holding her against him, and buried his nose into her hair; he couldn't watch all those people doing Kami-knew what to their daughter. There were only the usual hospital noises to be heard until his mate spoke again, quieter than before. “What would happen to you if I died?”_

  
_InuYasha stiffened. He stopped breathing. The entire world stopped spinning in that instant as the question he'd dreaded thinking about for years_ _was shoved at him abruptly. Kagome merely shifted and looked up at him; she_ **_had_** _to know the mental anguish he was going through at her voicing the very thought he'd squashed for decades. She_ **_had_** _to._

  
_When he'd found his voice, he croaked, “Why do you want to know that?”_

  
_“Because I'm going to die. Someday, anyway…”_

  
_He couldn't feel anything anymore. And the fucking wench decided to drive the nail home. “I won't live as long as you, you know that. You, Izayoi, Sachi, Ryuu… even Nao might live longer than me. A lot longer. I'll be gone in the blink of an eye by your standards, and I want to know what will happen to you all. Will you be ok without me? Will you forget me?”_

  
_He didn't hear any more as a roaring sound filled his ears. Dimly he felt himself detach from_ _her_ _and in a blind panic, rushed into the nearest bathroom and barely made it to the toilet in time to empty his stomach._ _After that, he proceeded to faint dead away on the cold bathroom tiles._

  


  
He still hurt to think she might think he'd forgotten her. Even in five hundred years of separation, he hadn't forgotten her. She still spoke of it sometimes. It was alarmingly morbid, how much she focused on death. Nao's mortality and the number of times they'd almost lost her seemed to have hit home more than the number of times any of their old friends had died during their adventures in the Sengoku Jidai. More than any number of times _he'd_ nearly died. “Come on… we'll be late.” He grunted, half to himself, as he stood and walked out of the room.

  
Nao looked up from her dollhouse as InuYasha entered hers and Ryuu's bedroom. Her smile was wide and innocent. “Tou-chan!”

  
He carefully scooped her into his arms and held her. “You feeling okay today?” He asked in a gentle voice, masking his own fears for her sake.

  
“Yes, Tou-chan, vewy good. Wanna pway?” She asked, her words only a little hard to understand. InuYasha hoped it wasn't another sign of something wrong with her.

  
He smiled despite it. “We can't right now, sennyo.” He told her, tweaking a pointed ear. She giggled. “Later, after we get home.”

  
“We goin' somewheres?” Nao asked.

  
“You have to see Dr. Kino again, remember?” At this, Nao's face turned fearful. He quickly recovered, “It won't hurt this time, I made him promise.” Her face relaxed.

  
She sat up in his arms suddenly. “Kaa-san comin'.” She announced. “Kaa!”

  
While her human blood dominated her appearance and abilities, they weren't sure if her superior hearing was a side-effect of her dormant demon blood, or if it was another sign of her disorder. They had been told it would be a few years before it could be determined more fully. Kagome smiled at her youngest as she walked in; InuYasha wished she'd smile more, it took the illusion of age off her face. “Ready to go, sweetling?” She asked, holding out her arms.

  
Nao was lighter than a bird, and was easily cradled against her mother's chest. “Tou-chan, Puru.” She said.

  
Grabbing the purple doll, InuYasha followed the two downstairs, where Izayoi was entertaining Ryuu with a puzzle. The boy was clearly agitated with it, the pieces being smaller than he was used to, and kept digging his claws into the carpet. “Iza, did Obaasan call?”

  
“No, Mama.” Izayoi replied calmly, sounding worlds older than her seven years. “She's almost here though, it's nearly time for you to go.”

  
Ryuu's face broke into brief happiness as he fit two pieces together without having to smash them down. “Got one!”

  
InuYasha squatted down, inspecting the half-finished work. “Good job, pup. What's this supposed to be of again?”

  
The look he was given could have peeled paint. “Duh, Oyaji, it's Transformers.”

  
Kagome frowned, putting Nao's coat on the beaming girl. “Ryuu, don't call your father `oyaji'.” She reprimanded.

  
“Why not? He calls himself that!”

  
“InuYasha…”

  
“What? You've never complained before!”

  
“Your children have never called you it before. Ryuu, apologize, and InuYasha, don't use that language!”

  
“Hai… Sorry, Otou…”

  
InuYasha nodded, distracted by the slamming of a car door outside. “Your mother's here.”

  
Mama was looking somewhat worse for the wear lately as well. She hadn't taken the news very well, and often slept over a few nights a week to help Kagome with the housework and the children, as well as watching Nao carefully.

  


  
_“Mama, we'll be fine. InuYasha got things worked out with the company, he's home most of the day now.” Kagome protested as her mother deposited a suitcase in one of their spare bedrooms._

  
_She turned and gripped her daughter's chin, going over her face inch by inch with a perceptive mother's eye. “You haven't been sleeping. You haven't been with your husband. You're overworking yourself, you've got lines forming on your face, and you deny your own mother's help? I raised you to know when you've reached your limit.”_

  
_“I know my limits, Mama. I've gone past them dozens of times. Ask InuYasha.”_

  
_Her mate snorted from the doorway. “Gone past them, fainted, slept for days, took more days to regain your strength… I know, Kagome. I was right there. Be a good wench and accept your mother's help.”_

  
_Kagome looked down. As much as she hated to admit it, she was tired, all of the time. Four children, one of them who was seizure- and heart-failure-prone, classwork, and housework were getting to her. InuYasha was helping where he could, but even then, she knew she was taking on too much. She'd burn herself out sooner or later. “Alright Mama…”_

  


  
“OBAA-CHAN!” Nao squealed, launching herself at her grandmother.

  
Mama eagerly scooped up the toddler, kissing her cheek. “How's my little Nao today?”

  
“Good, Obaa-chan!”

  
Kagome smiled tiredly at her mother. “Hi Mama.”

  
InuYasha acknowledged his mother-in-law with a nod, ruffling Ryuu's hair briefly, earning mutters and an annoyed look in return. “We should get going. These things take forever as it is.” He said, sliding sandals onto his feet.

  
Sachi hugged his grandmother's leg as the four left at home waved good-bye.

* * *

  
_InuYasha's so quiet these days… Then again, I'm not so chatty either._ Kagome thought while folding and refolding her hands on her lap. Nao was back getting her fMRI exam, and they had nothing to do but wait.

  
They sat stiffly in the cold, plastic chairs in the waiting area, unsure of what to say to the other. Kagome fingered the end of her shirt. InuYasha shifted, looking away, and down the hall. His nose wrinkled, still unused to the scent of sickness and medicines that lingered through the halls, even with the amount of time they'd spent here in the last two years alone. Kagome sighed slightly. _We can't even look at each other…_ She cleared her throat. “InuYasha?”

  
Violet eyes glanced at her. She gulped, unnerved by the steel resolve in them. “Um…”

  
He sighed. “Out with it, wench.”

  
“Are you mad at me?”

  
He was startled. Of all the things he'd expected her to say, that hadn't been one of them. “No, Kagome, why would I be?”

  
She shrugged, looking at the floor. “You seem like you are, that's all.”

  
He frowned. “Kagome…”

  
She didn't look at him. “Something's bothering you. I wish you'd tell me.”

  
Another silence settled over them, Kagome wishing she hadn't put him on edge, InuYasha wrestling with how to tell her he feared for her. Ten minutes later, they were saved by the squeaking wheels of the gurney gliding towards them, pushed by a nurse and carrying their youngest. Kagome leapt to her feet. “There's my baby. Were you good for the doctors?” She cooed, scooping the girl up.

  
InuYasha stood by. The nurse smiled. “She got a little claustrophobic in the few minutes, but after we calmed her down everything went fine. They'll be examining the scans while we take you upstairs and she does some more tests.”

  


  
_The picture was simple enough: a house, a dog, and_ _a child. At nearly two, though, Nao's motor skills weren't even up to par with a human two-year old. The copy she was making was barely recognizable; however, she was dutifully making sure the spots were in the correct order and size on the dog, the flower pattern on the child's shirt was of the correct size, and the chimney and windows of the house were spaced perfectly and the right amount of smoke pouring out of the chimney. The psychologist sighed as she showed the drawing to Kagome and InuYasha. “It's fairly common for those in her condition to focus on small details. There's very little evidence left we need to gather to properly diagnose her.”_

  


  
Today was a jigsaw puzzle, much like the one her twin had probably given up on a long time ago. The pieces were large enough that a young child would have little difficulty to put together, but Nao was having trouble. The psychologist was helping as little as possible, a nudge or a clue here and there, but mostly it was a test of her thinking and deciphering abilities. Kagome watched from the one-way mirror, hurting at the tears of frustration forming in Nao's eyes. InuYasha was in the hall. _Will it always be this way? I can only stand by and watch as my daughter struggles, being able to do so little to help? Will she survive long enough to have those struggles?_

  
A tear slipped down her face. She was angry. Confused. She felt as lost as she did the morning she fell down the well, five hundred years into the past and nothing familiar about but the old tree, with a strange boy pinned to it. A hand rested on her shoulder. “Don't cry.” He told her.

  
She looked into those same eyes, violet instead of amber, eyes that once bored into her with more hate than she'd ever experienced. They were filled with concern, uncertainty, love, and fear. “I need an outlet…” She whispered. “Something…”

  
He folded her into his arms easily. “She won't die. We'll make sure of that. We'll do what we can, and hope someone can pick up what we couldn't.”

  
She nodded, watching as Nao played with some stuffed animals, and looked at images the psychologist held up for her. The hated puzzle was left unfinished. “Will you pick up when I can't do anymore?” She whispered.

  
He froze. “Kagome… please stop talking about that.”

  
“But—”

  
InuYasha spun her to face him, his eyes hard. “You don't know how that makes me feel, hearing you speak so casually, almost wistfully of your own death. You're weighing the cost of Nao's mortality against your own. What is it, as long as she survives, we'll be ok if you die? It's not as simple as that!”

  
She couldn't meet his eyes. “As long as you and our children survive… I want you all to be happy. I want you all to live.”

  
“And what about me? Have you thought what it might do to me if you died?” He snapped, letting go of her and stalking to the other side of the room.

  
An uncomfortable tension stretched between them. When she didn't say anything, he sat down hard. “You seem to be forgetting you're the most important person in my entire life. I'd… I'd probably die myself if you died, Kagome. If I lived, I'd probably be miserable for the rest of my life. I love our children, I do, but Kagome, you come before anything in my heart. I thought… I thought you felt the same…”

  
She knelt before him. “InuYasha…”

  
He didn't look at her. “I'm going to ask you a question. I should have probably asked this years ago; I actually was going to, but then you were pregnant, and then the twins were born, and things have just been a roller coaster since. And lately I've been wondering if you'd even want to at all…”

  
He pushed back the memories of her speaking so indifferently about death.

  
She made a questioning noise after a few moments of silence. “I don't know if it will work.” He told her, meeting her eyes. “I want to do the blood-binding with you. I'll probably live another three or four hundred years, I don't know. But I want you with me. I can't face more centuries alone, never knowing if I'll see you again. I can't breathe just thinking about it.”

  
Kagome was silent for a few minutes. “Why wouldn't it work?” She asked at last.

  
“Because I'm not a full-youkai; it might not work because my blood is both human and youkai. If it does work, we might have to do another binding in a few decades or something. I might be able to tell if that's happening; I talked to Sesshou-maru and he said he can smell his demon blood inside of Rin. I may be able to sense if it's waning in you. But that's if it will take.” InuYasha explained.

  
They heard a door open outside. Kagome took his hand as he started to rise. “InuYasha… when's the soonest we can do it?”


	8. Changes

She slept for three days.

  
InuYasha quietly watched his slumbering wife from the doorway, noting with a small smirk the mess the children had made of the room to `make Mama happy': Izayoi's bear was tucked under one arm, a stack of drawings sat on their nightstand, and a haphazard bunch of colorful leaves were in a glass of water in place of flowers. Blankets and pillows were on the floor from Izayoi and Sachi's stay the night before; the bed sheets were mussed and rumpled, where Ryuu and Nao had slept between their mother and himself. The children were confused by Kagome's changing scent, and thought she was sick. He thought it best to wait until she awoke, and check for possible changes in his mate before telling their pups what was going on.

  
She rolled over, groaning as she did so, and opened her eyes. He walked towards the bed, and sat down on the edge. “Koi, how do you feel?”

  
She shook her head. “Strange…”

  
“How strange?”

  
“Like… like I can run for miles and not get tired, and everything's sharper, like I'm more focused.” She mumbled, burying her face in the pillow.

  
“Light?”

  
“It's too bright…”

  
He found the room comfortably lit, but then again, his eyes weren't unused to seeing. And, if his brother's tips were correct, he'd always been adjusted to his sharper eyesight. He drew the blinds and dimmed the lights for her, and she cautiously peeked out from the pillow. Sighing with relief, she smiled at her husband; a small weight lifted from his shoulders as he watched her eyes warm. “Much better.” She said with content.

  
He leaned down, nuzzling the top of her head, but he was really checking her scent. ` _I… I think it worked…_ ' He realized in astonishment. She always smelled somewhat like him, but now was different; it was as if his own scent had bonded with hers to make an entirely new scent. His mind shifted through the scents he knew, and found his brother and sister-in-law. Theirs were mingled like this as well. His elation was distracted somewhat by his mate shifting under him and capturing his lips in her own. “Mmm…”

  
InuYasha would have loved to continue, but his ears caught the sound of eight feet pounding their way up the stairs and reluctantly pulled himself off of his mate as their children cautiously peeked inside. Sachi was the first to notice Kagome was awake, and launched himself at the bed. “MAMA!”

  
The other three were not far behind, and she was quickly under a pile of squirming pups. “Oi!” InuYasha barked; the children pouted, but moved off of their mother and quieted… somewhat.

  
“Mama slept a lot.” Ryuu noted.

  
“Did you miss us?” Sachi asked.

  
“Sweepy, `Kaa.” Nao declared, only a little out of breath.

  
“Why do you smell different?” Izayoi demanded.

  
“No smeww diffwent.” Nao mused; she didn't yet understand her lack of canine senses.

  
“Yes she does, like Oyaji.” Ryuu said.

  
“You two slept in the bed last night, she should smell like you!” Sachi glared at the twins.

  
“It's not MY fault you're too slow!” Ryuu shot back.

  
“Boys, don't start…” Izayoi warned.

  
“Sachi started it!”

  
“I don't care who started it, I'll finish it!”

  
The impending fight was halted as Nao burst into tears. Kagome cooed, sitting up and scooping the girl up into her arms. “It's alright, little one, they're just playing. No one's really fighting.”

  
“Yes we—mphf!” Ryuu was silenced by his older sister's hand over his mouth.

  
Once their youngest sibling calmed down, every one of the children wanted to be cuddled. Kagome resorted to leaning against the headboard of the bed, with the twins on her lap, Sachi under one arm, and Izayoi under the other. “Yes, I did sleep a lot. I missed you all a bunch, but I got to see you in my dreams, so it made it better.” She told them, and then glanced at her husband.

  
He cleared his throat. “She smells different because of a spell we did.”

  
“What kind of spell?” Izayoi asked.

  
Kagome sighed. “It's something that will help me. I don't expect any of you to understand, but you know that I'm not like Otou; I'm all-human, and he's part-human.”

  
Four heads nodded. She continued, “Well, because of that, Otou's a lot older than I am, and he'll continue to be a lot older than I am.”

  
“Will he be as old as Uncle Fluff?” Sachi asked.

  
InuYasha bit the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing; Sachi had never been able to pronounce Sesshou-maru's name, instead choosing to announce the first thing that came to mind: the fluffy mokomoko. Sesshou-maru had yet to recover any form of dignity from such a nickname. Kagome managed to smile without laughing. “Otou will be as old as Uncle Sesshou-maru someday, yes. Unfortunately, I wasn't going to be that old. That's why we did the spell.”

  
“So you can get _old_?” Ryuu asked, slightly repulsed.

  
“Sort of…” Kagome pursed her lips, unsure of how to explain.

  
InuYasha stepped in. “It's so she'll be more like us.” He explained.

  
“Will she have a special day?” Izayoi asked, referring to their respective human (or in Nao's case, hanyou) days.

  
“No, it's not like that… it's hard to explain, pups.” He told them. “Okaa's going to get better now though.”

  
Sachi's ears perked up at this. “You won't be sad anymore, Mama? That's good. I don't like it when you're sad.”

  
“Me neither.” The other three chimed in.

  
Kagome's lips tightened as she tried not to cry. She hugged her children; had she really been so bad? To cause her children to be upset, simply because she worried so much? That wasn't fair, she decided. Suddenly, she was even gladder that she and InuYasha had done this. If her children had been silently suffering as well, it was more than enough to hear that this might make things better in their house. Glancing at her husband, she took note of the relieved look on his face. ` _I feel… like I've just woken up from a horrible dream… a very, very long dream…'_ She thought, kissing each child on the head. ` _And if I've been dreaming, I can only imagine the nightmare the rest of them have been having…'_

* * *

  
It took most of the day for Kagome to get used to her newness. She wasn't exactly sure the full extent of what the blood bond had done. The perks were being able to keep up with four active children and her husband without getting very tired at all; she also noticed her eyesight was better, which meant that she didn't need those reading glasses anymore when she looked at her textbooks. Hearing and scent, on the other hand, didn't improve. While part of her was relieved, another was slightly disappointed. She would appreciate the advanced warning when Ryuu would be picking on someone two rooms away, and she could stop it before it started. However, the headaches that both hearing and scent improvement would have caused were not going to be missed.

  
Another improvement was noticed later in the day. After the children were put to bed, she walked downstairs and saw InuYasha lounging on the couch, one hand with the TV remote, and the other absently petting the cat, Inago. Pausing on the last stair, she put a hand on her hip. “Now look at you. Acting like you own the place with your feet up on my nice furniture, while I put the heathens to bed.” She teased.

  
“Keh! Wench! I do own the place, and since when is it _your_ furniture? I bought it!” He smirked.

  
“And leaving me with the children?”

  
“Keh, pups've been on you all day, wouldn't let me near them.”

  
The look she gave him changed, and he blinked. He hadn't seen that in… “Come here, koinu…” She whispered.

  
Her sultry whisper was like a rope, tying him up and pulling him to her. Almost in a daze, he dropped the remote and stood, following her up the stairs and into their bedroom. She closed and locked the door behind them. “No interruptions tonight…” She murmured, slinking up behind him and running her hands up his back to rub his shoulders.

  
InuYasha stood stock-still as she unbuttoned his shirt, her hands roaming around his chest before sliding the offending garment to the floor. Moving his hair, she planted soft kisses across his back, and he let his head loll back in appreciation. He hissed as her hands slid further down his chest, her fingers nimbly playing in the dips and grooves of his muscles, and went to work on his belt. “K'gome…”

  
“I'm sorry… about everything lately…” She murmured between kisses.

  
“Keh… don't worry about it, wench.” He murmured in reply, catching her hands in his.

  
Kagome rested her head against his back. “No, I am… I never realized how bad it was for everyone… I thought it was just me, but then you snapped me into reality at the hospital that day… and then the children today…”

  
Giving her arm a gently pull, InuYasha gathered her into his arms. “Koi… you're worried about Nao. I know. I… I am too. But we can't do anything about that. She's sick, and she's going to be sick for a long time.”

  
Kagome nodded. “I know… It's just hard…”

  
“Keh, don't think I don't know that…” He muttered.

  
“I wasn't implying…”

  
“Don't matter. Kagome, just… promise that if… when you get that burdened again, let me help. Don't do it again.” He lifted her chin so as to look her in the eyes.

  
“Okay.” She whispered.

  
She tugged on his forelocks, and brought him in for a kiss. His hands roamed down her body to squeeze her ass firmly. She squeaked, pinching his in return. He chuckled as she broke this kiss to pout at him; the chuckle died as soon as she began to strip, however. His hands itched to help her remove those flimsy barriers that covered his mate's beauty, but he knew this game she played.

  
The surprise was when his wonderfully nude mate crawled onto the bed on all fours, and dared to look over her shoulder at him. She wiggled her bottom a little, and he suppressed a growl. She didn't know what she was doing, teasing his youkai like that. “Well…?”

  
Okay, maybe she did.

  
InuYasha's pants were on the floor faster than she could blink. He tried to push her down on the mattress, but she shook her head. “This way.”

  
“Kagome…”

  
“We've never done it like this.”

  
“Yeah, but there's a—”

  
“Don't you _want_ me to submit to you?”

  
His throat went tight. His youkai was clamoring for him to just do it already, taking her hard and fast, showing her what it meant to present herself like that. And frankly, he didn't mind listening to it for once. Kneeling behind her, he reached around to squeeze a breast. She hissed at him, “Dammit, InuYasha, we haven't done this in six months! I'm _ready_ , for Kami's sake, just _do it!!”_

  
All too happy to oblidge, InuYasha gently spread her legs and assumed the position. One arm around her waist, he drew her in, parting her lips as he sheathed himself in her hot core. He hissed as she enveloped him. “Gods…”

  
Kagome whimpered, thrusting herself back into him. “Hard… please, harder…”

  
Pure fire drove him into her. Months of frustrations had built up, and they both needed this; this wasn't a tender lovemaking, this was a hard tussle in the hay, a release of all the worry, the tension, the panic over the last year. Her walls rippled around him like a sea of pleasure, begging for his attentions. He was draped over her back, holding her up with one arm and bracing himself on the other. Her soft cries fueled the intense fire within; his mouth latched to her neck, nipping and sucking the tender skin, driving her further into ecstasy. When she fell to her elbows, he sat them both up, pounding into her harder, almost bouncing her off of his lap as he impaled her onto his hard cock. Her hands became entwined in his hair, the abrupt brushes against his ears almost making him come before his mate. She arched against him in rapture, her head thrashing wildly against his shoulder as he drove himself into her womb over and over again.

  
Kagome hadn't felt this intense level of pleasure in ages. The absolute height was so close, but she couldn't fly high enough just yet. One hand slipped down her own body to pleasure herself while her mate thrust just below her fingers. It was almost dirty, pleasing herself while he fucked her into oblivion, but she had already decided that it wasn't going to be a tender night. They needed a wild release; her body thrummed in delight at their pace, his cock showing her pussy no mercy as she drenched him in her juices. InuYasha bit her shoulder, more roughly than he'd intended, but it sent a thrill through her body, just enough to push her over into a violent orgasm. She bit down onto her own arm as she muffled her scream, her senses flying higher than they had in months; her mate was quieter, somehow, his own release coming hard on her heels.

  
They collapsed onto the bed. InuYasha thrust in time with her own aftershocks, intensifying them and making her want him all the more. Unfortunately, he pulled himself from her, covering her with the blankets as he stiffly got out of bed. “I'll be back.” He whispered, kissing her brow.

  
She grumbled as he left to turn off the lights. She was still glowering when he returned, and he laughed at the look she gave him. “Still?”

  
“Bed. Now.” She ordered firmly.

  
“Insatiable.” He teased.

  
“Your blood.” She retorted, yanking him under the covers and locking him in place with a leg over his waist.

  
He moaned into her mouth as she thrust her tongue against his. He could get used to this. Breaking it, he rested his forehead against hers. “Are you sure you just can't keep your paws off me?” He breathed.

  
“Fine. I slept for three days, and I want you to _thoroughly_ exhaust me” She purred.

  
That, he could do. He said as much as he mounted her again. She grinned in reply, and with a thust of her hips, pulled him back in.


	9. Izayoi no Kurisumasu

“Santa Cwaus?” Nao asked, perplexed.

  
Kagome smiled, explaining the Western saint to the three-year old; the twins birthday was just behind them, and the poor things and their siblings were about to get spoiled again with the coming of Christmas. InuYasha, with Ryuu on his shoulders, was decorating the tree, their eldest two diligently placing ornaments where they could reach.

  
While her mouth went on autopilot, Kagome's mind wandered to earlier in the day, when she'd found Izayoi sulking in the tree out front…

  


  
_“Izayoi, sweetheart, what are you doing out here?” Kagome asked, shivering through her sweater._

  
_The young girl didn't answer, just f_ _licking the snowflakes off her_ _ears as they fell. Kagome rolled her eyes,_ _recognizing this attitude with no question where it came from. “Honey, it's no use ignoring me. If I can make your father talk, I can make you talk.”_

  
_The girl pouted, and kicked against the branch. “Mama, there's no Santa Claus is there? And if there's no Santa, then there's definitely no Hotei-osho_ _*_ _.”_

  
_Kagome raised an eyebrow. “Izayoi, is that what this is about? You don't believe in Santa Claus anymore?”_

  
_T_ _he spotty-eared girl shook her head. Kagome steeled herself and climbed up next to her eldest._ _“Is there something more?”_

  
_Izayoi's mouth was set, and she was quiet for a while. Together, they watched the snow fall quietly across their yard, and the city lights winking in the distance. Kagome drew a breath to speak, when her daughter burst out, “It's not fair!_ _It's not fair that_ _I don't believe in Santa anymore, and I'm not going to get any presents!_ _I didn't even get my real Christmas wish last year!_ _I was_ _really_ _good all year, but then Toya told me I was a big baby in school last week because I still believed in Santa, and then I thought about it, and I can't make it make sense! And now I'm all confused, and I'm not going to get any presents, but Sachi, and Ryuu, and Nao all are!”_

  
_“Oh, Izayoi. You're still going to get presents. Your Papa and I buy the presents, just like we do with birthdays. Santa Claus is… well, he's a nice idea for children. It makes Christmas more magical._ _Does it seem like Christmas isn't going to be very special this year because of what Toya said?”_

  
_Izayoi glumly nodded. Kagome wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders and hugged her. “It was like that for me too, sweetie. I wasn't much older than you when I figured it out. It gets better though, I promise.”_

  


  
She wasn't sure she'd done a good enough job in reassuring her eldest, but Kagome really didn't know how to handle this kind of thing. The disenchantment she had had with Christmas had lasted a while, before realizing that it was finding joy in other's happiness that really brought that spark back. And, she figured, every child needed to mourn the loss of their childhood Christmas memories in their own way. Tickling Nao's stomach, Kagome gave her a cookie and sent her to help with the tree. ` _Well, we'll see in a few days how she's feeling…_ '

* * *

  
InuYasha plopped Izayoi into her bed. “Excited for tomorrow, pup?”

  
Izayoi shrugged. “I guess…”

  
A black brow went up. “That doesn't sound convincing.”

  
Her small mouth twisted into a wry smile. “Well, it's hard to be excited when everything's different…”

  
Kagome had explained the `Santa Ordeal' to him the other night. Personally, he didn't understand what the fuss was; then again, he hadn't grown up with the idea of a magic man who gave good children lots of presents. “It happens, pup. It's the tough part of growing up.”

  
“I don't like it.”

  
“Never said you had to. It just sucks.” He commented, then ruffled her hair. “Get some sleep, pup.”

  
“Night, Papa…”

  
InuYasha left her, closing the door behind him. The other three were out cold, exhausted from their intense snowball fight earlier in the afternoon. Kagome was downstairs, arranging the presents under the tree. She smiled brilliantly at him as he came down the stairs. “Everyone down?”

  
“Iza's still up, but she'll nod off soon. She's not too excited for tomorrow.” He commented, poking up the fire.

  
Kagome nodded. “I was like that, when it happened to me. She'll get better.”

  
The cat meowed in agreement, and InuYasha chuckled.

* * *

  
Her parents had gone to bed almost an hour ago, but Izayoi was still up. She sighed, rolling over. Why did Christmas have to be so depressing? Was it just because Santa wasn't real? Was Christmas always going to be like this then? Izayoi sat up in distress, before laying back. “Mama said it'd get better… I hope she knows what she's talking about…”

  
More time passed, and Izayoi grew more disgusted with herself. “Come on, why can't I sleep?” She grumbled, turning over again.

  
A loud `thud' jolted her to full awareness. Her ears pricked forward, straining to hear everything she could. Another `thud' followed, and she scrambled out of bed. She eased her door open, and hurried to her parents room. “Papa!” Izayoi whispered loudly, and crept to the bed.

  
Her parents were spooned together as always, but her father didn't budge when she touched his shoulder. “Papa! Mama, wake up! I heard something!” She whispered, louder this time.

  
She could hear them breathing, so she knew nothing was wrong, but now her hackles were up. Something was definitely amiss. She crept back into the hall, and peered through the banister. Someone was moving in the living room: a large silhouette against the electric candles her mother had left on in the windows. Izayoi mentally stacked her odds: they weren't good, but maybe if she made enough noise…

  
Mind made up, she made her way one step at a time downstairs. Her legs tensed, and she leapt from the banister across the room to grab Tessaiga from its resting place on the wall, and held the battered katana in front of her. ` _Almost like I knew what I was doing…'_ She thought wryly. “Freeze! I've got you cornered!” She yelled, as menacing as a four-foot girl in pajamas could be.

  
The figure turned, and suddenly the fireplace sprang to life, throwing a warm glow about the room. Izayoi froze, but kept her grip on the katana. “Well, well, Izayoi. You've given me quite a fright.” The figure's voice was deep, but warm and full of cheer.

  
“No funny business, mister. Just leave, nice and peaceably, and you won't have charges pressed.” She commanded, wishing she felt braver than she sounded.

  
The figure stepped forward, and she faltered. ` _Red suit, white beard… There's no way!'_ Izayoi thought, violet eyes wide. She slid back a bit, still pointing Tessaiga at the imposter Santa Claus. “Stay back! You're just some weirdo who gets his kicks from dressing like Santa and robbing houses on Christmas!” She cried.

  
The man in the Santa suit started to laugh, a rich and deep laugh that, oddly, made her relax some. “Oh, Izayoi, you're the image of your father, jumping to outrageous conclusions. I _am_ the real Santa Claus, my dear.”

  
Her lips pursed. “Nuh-uh. Santa's not real. All the kids in my class say so, and even Mama admitted it.”

  
Santa's rosy mouth pulled itself into a smirk. “Your mother actually slept on Christmas Eve, my dear child, so she wasn't able to find out for herself. And why should you believe what your friends say? Isn't it what you think that matters?”

  
The katana was lowered a bit. “Not when they make fun of me.”

  
“Children make fun of others. Look at your own brothers.” Even Izayoi had to smile at that. “Now, what would I have to do to prove I was the real Santa Claus?”

  
She thought a minute. “How do you get all those presents to kids everywhere?” She demanded; her mother had never given a satisfactory answer.

  
“I only give one special present to each child. That's enough work as it is. And even then, Christmas isn't celebrated by every family. I only visit the ones who do.” He explained.

  
She still wasn't convinced. “Alright… only the real Santa would know this. What was the big wish I wanted for last Christmas? I didn't tell anyone but Santa, because I thought he could actually do this and he didn't.”

  
Santa sat down on the couch. The cat didn't even stir. “That was a big call, Izayoi. To make your mother well again, that would have taken more magic and more effort than I am able to manage. I did my best to nudge your father along, but he does things in his own time, for his own reasons. I wish I could have made your Christmas better with your mother being happy again, but it was beyond my control.”

  
The katana was lowered. Violet eyes wide, Izayoi stared at the real Santa Claus; it was almost impossible to believe. Seeing the look on her face, he laughed again. “I know these past few years have been difficult for you. You've had to grow up so fast, taking care of your siblings, but you've done a very good job. Not many girls your age could manage it. And… I know you've been having your doubts about me lately. Maybe this could change your mind.” Santa said, digging in his bag and pulling out a long, flat box wrapped in silver.

  
“What is it?” Izayoi asked, putting the katana on the floor and gingerly taking the box.

  
He smiled. “Something I know you've wanted for a while. You might not get to use it for a time, however.”

  
Carefully, Izayoi unwrapped the shining silver paper, taking care with the blue ribbons, and blinked at the ornate wooden box. “Open it.” Santa urged.

  
She eased the lid open, and her eyes flew wide. Her head snapped up to look at Santa's smiling face, and then back at the inside of the box. Izayoi ran her fingers over the silk, hardly believing what she saw. It was a kimono—a real kimono, one fitting for a lady or a proper geisha from before the war**. It was as deep purple as her own eyes, with a pattern of dancing cranes and chrysanthemum blossoms in gold, bronze, and white across the entire surface. “It's… it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen…” She whispered.

  
“There's a gold silk under robe there too, and a white, patterned obi. It's a full-size kimono, Izayoi, so you'll have to wait until you're older to wear it.” Santa cautioned. “However, I felt—”

  
He was cut off by Izayoi throwing herself at him in a hug. “Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou, it's the most beautiful present I've ever gotten in my whole life!” She exclaimed with happiness.

  
He returned the hug. “I'm glad. I know you want to be a proper lady someday, and hopefully this gets you on the right path. You've been a very good girl, so I thought this was a proper reward.”

  
Izayoi wiped a few tears from her eyes, and nodded. Santa stood, and grabbed his pack. “Well, my dear, I think it's time you went to bed, and time for me to get moving. I've still got a long ways to go.”

  
“Okay… thanks, Santa. Good night.” Izayoi smiled.

  
“You're very welcome. Merry Christmas, Izayoi.”

  
“Merry Christmas, Santa.”

  
At the first stair, she paused. “Santa, I have one more question.”

  
His mouth twisted into another half-smile. “Quickly, the magic I put on your family won't last much longer***.”

  
“Okay—what about Hotei-osho? Is he real too?” She asked.

  
The question earned her another laugh. “Yes, my dear, he's real. How else do you think I keep an eye on all you youngsters around here? He helps me out from time to time.”

  
Izayoi grinned, and went upstairs.

* * *

  
Kagome marveled at the mess that was already in her living room. Tessaiga was on the floor, out of its sheath no less, and there was a wood box with silver paper and blue ribbons next to the coffee table. “What on earth…” She mused, but started cleaning it all up.

  
“MAMA!” Sachi screeched from his room. “Can we come down yet??”

  
“I want to see what Santa brought!” Ryuu's voice came next, with his twin parroting an agreement.

  
“Oh, hush, you three, you know the rules!” Izayoi commanded.

  
InuYasha was sitting on the stairs, guarding the way. “Yeah, Mama, can we come down yet? Pleasepleaseplease?” He teased, earning a scowl in return.

  
“And I wonder where their manners come from. Sometimes—oh my…” Kagome broke off, looking at the kimono in the wooden box. “What on earth is this doing here?”

  
InuYasha came to inspect, but said no more than looking at her with a raised eyebrow. The children took advantage and sprinted down the stairs, screeching their excitement at the pile of presents in the corner. Izayoi came to admire her kimono again. “Isn't it the most beautiful thing you've ever seen, Mama?”

  
“Iza, where did this come from? And why was Tessaiga on the floor?” Kagome asked.

  
Their eldest just smiled at them. “I had a visit last night from an old friend…”

  
Kagome and InuYasha just looked at her expectantly. The girl's smile broadened. “Yes, Mama, there is a Santa Claus.”


End file.
